Gravity Errors



    In October 2013, the world distribution of the film "Gravity" began. Its setting is the near-Earth space of our era with fantastically well-drawn space stations. This is not some fictitious future; existing and planned space stations, shuttles and disposable ships flash on the screen. The film was praised by critics. At the same time, it contains a huge number of dramatic technical errors. This post is an attempt to collect existing analytics. Under the cut contains all the possible film spoilers .

    Problems begin with a title. The heroes spend almost all the time on the screen in orbit, where they do not experience the effects of gravity, being in free fall. The plot of the film consists entirely of two unrealistic flights to space stations on engines not designed for this. Orbital physics is absent and contradicts even its own assumptions. There are only two actors in the film, all other faces and voices are passive and do not affect the plot in any way.

    The opening stage consists of servicing the Hubble Space Telescope on the fictitious space shuttle Explorer, as part of the STS-157 mission. This number is much higher than the actual number of shuttle flights (the latter was STS-135). The name of the device is harmonious and beautiful, it can be a reference to an exact copy of the shuttlewhich can be seen in Houston. We are introduced to two characters.

    Matt Kowalski (played by George Clooney) is an experienced astronaut who makes the last space flight of his career. The surname of the character is stereotyped. A good astronaut must be a Texan, and central Texas is populated by descendants of Germans, Czechs and Poles. Kowalski is the second Polish surname by popularity. The first surname - Novak - is already taken by the real astronaut Lisa Novak . Or maybe it's a tribute to some NASA employee, for example, Robert Kowalski .

    Clooney cuts the surrounding space, uselessly spending the resource of his spacesuit and fuel satchel. And in vain, in just a few minutes it would be very useful. The film depicts some kind of fictional continuation of the development of the Manned Maneuvering Unit . The manned maneuvering module was last tested only in 1984. They later abandoned it. Gravity easily mixes 80s technology with modern ones. The features of the pictured device are superior to real features. In reality, the movement is very slow.


    A video with an example of the work of a real MMU

    Clooney really wants to break the Anatoly Solovyov record for the duration of work in outer space. He tells stories from his personal life to operators in Houston and listens to country music. In the latter, it is easy to see a reference to the film "Dark Star". Sometimes music interferes with others, he is asked to turn it off. He does not help the rest - he is allowed to simply "enjoy the last flight." Clooney even flirts with another crew member. Communication between the Earth and the astronaut can be informal, even small jokes are possible. But in the film, reality is again exaggerated . Probably, to reveal the character could have been possible without this ostentatious unprofessionalism.

    The camera shows Dr. Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock). Despite the man’s name, there is a woman in the spacesuit - “Dad wanted a boy.” She was only preparing for the flight for six months. To go into real space, years of training are needed. Stone is a doctor, she developed a tool, now she installs it. Hubble’s real tools were developed by individual companies and cost significant amounts of money. She may be the project manager or key figure, but this is not reported in the film.

    In the film, Bullock is called a mission specialist. But to a greater extent, its role boils down to a payload specialist , that is, it looks like a payload specialist. These are technical payload support experts selected outside of NASA’s traditional astronaut search process. They are passengers who are engaged in science, they are often trained not to break anything. In reality, they never flew to Hubble, and refused to participate in 2003.

    A person with Bullock’s experience would never have been released into outer space, much less allowed to touch a telescope worth several billion dollars. In the future, it becomes clear that these two do not know each other. Clooney asks why the character Bullock has a masculine name. These people had to go through long trainings together, and understand each other perfectly.

    Only Clooney has an MMU. There is another version of the jetpack - SAFER, it is smaller and has less fuel. SAFER is for emergency use only. None of the SAFER crew members have. In outer space there is also a third astronaut, who is already openly playing - he is experiencing a fastening cable for strength. He later dies. The camera does not approach him until his death so that the viewer does not feel any emotional attachment. We are only shocked by his disfigured face.

    After this brief introduction, the action begins. The Russian side is destroying the satellite. Houston learns about this from the Command of the aerospace defense of North America. There are two stations and a shuttle in orbit, but Russia does not notify of the danger. There is something political about this attack. The wreckage causes a chain reaction, they reach the Explorer and destroy it.


    Illustration of the orbits of various objects.

    Many satellites were destroyed. NASA operator claims that it will be lost and communication with the "Explorer". This makes it possible to assume, that have been hurt the system object tracking satellites and data transmission ( Tracking the Data Relay and the Satellite the System ) in geostationary orbit (about 36 000 km above sea level). Hubble is located at an altitude of about 550 km. Not only the heights, but also the inclinations of the orbits do not coincide . Kapkom is blatantly talking about the wreckage of satellites quickly rising to the height of the Explorer. These satellites were much higher than the shuttle. Orbital inclination of the ISS, Hubble and the satellite tracking system of objects and data transmission




    Gravity contains what is called the model of two-dimensional space and nearby space objects.. All vehicles and ships are located very close to each other on a flat surface. Many possibilities of three-dimensional space are not used. The concept of inclination of the orbit does not exist. In Gravity, there is no concept of orbit at all, objects just hang over the Earth for an unknown reason. These assumptions and inaccuracies may be added on purpose. The scriptwriters can be understood - they need to create a plot that people will come to look at. But at some point, the film begins to contradict itself. The orbital period of the ISS and other vehicles at this altitude is about 90 minutes. In the film, it is concluded that the next meeting with the wreckage will happen in exactly an hour and a half. But the debris moves against the ISS at the same speed, so the meeting should happen in ≈45 minutes. Space debris for some reason moves from east to west, although most of the satellites are moving from west to east. However, this can be explained by the fact that satellites moving from east to west are often designed for photo surveillance, so it was decided to shoot down one of them.

    After birth, we quickly learn the mechanics of the movement of bodies on Earth. For example, we understand the concept of inertia. We are able to apply this knowledge in the world of films and video games. Moreover, we are even able to assimilate the fictitious laws of non-existent worlds. In the game Portal it is easy to remember how the speed does not change when passing through the portals. You can put the portal somewhere below the cliff, and place the second next to you, and jump into the first to soar up. But few of us have encountered the mechanics of the motion of bodies in orbit. She can bring her surprises and bewilderment. For example, if an object in orbit approaches the Earth, then the rotation speed will increase.

    You can continue the analogy with video games. According toXKCD comic book author Randall Monroe, neither teaching physics at school and college, nor working at NASA helped him understand orbital mechanics. Enlightenment came only after playing the Kerbal Space Program. To reach the station, it is necessary to change the parameters of the orbit: altitude, inclination, most likely, phasing will be required . Clooney just takes aim in the direction of the station and turns on the MMU engines. Spacecraft in the world of "Gravity" just hang, because it does not even lay the lead. This is more like swimming between two submarines under water than action in space.

    Clooney catches Sandra, who was thrown away from the damaged Explorer, and catches on a leash. In the future, they fly together, ignoring the concept of the center of mass, which should change the stability of the MMU. Together they return to the shuttle. The corpses of the rest of the crew were already frozen, obeying the classic idea of ​​cold space. In reality, this process may take hours. Hereafter, for about 20 minutes, oxygen is about to end. Its level is projected directly into the helmet from the computer on the chest of the spacesuit. In reality, there is no such function . Helmets are also completely transparent, so that the faces of the actors are better visible. (When shooting, the faces in the suits did not cover with anything. The glass was painted later.) Real Display and Control Module




    MMU would never have enough fuel to maneuver to the ISS. Δv of the device is only 25 m / s, for an increased load of two people this value is less. The Hubble was originally designed with maintenance and equipment replacement flights in mind. He has been in orbit for over 25 years. The Columbia catastrophe called into question the last mission. One of the arguments against it was the fact that the shuttle would not be able to fly to the Hubble in one flight, and then, if a violation of the heat-shielding layer was detected, return the crew to the ISS for subsequent evacuation. The shuttle would not have enough fuel to complete this maneuver. Clooney probably should have separated one of the engines of the orbital maneuvering system"Explorer" and saddle him. This would not greatly increase the degree of insanity - in the future Bullock flies on a fire extinguisher.

    The couple arrives at the ISS. Here, the fuel in the Clooney satchel ends at the right moment. It would be wiser not to spend it on empty flights for fun, but it's too late to regret it. The configuration of the station is richer than the existing one. Bullock beats on stunningly beautifully painted ISS modules. Including Sandra touches the solar panels of the American segment. There is a high probability of being struck by direct electric current of about 140 volts. The result of the formation of an electric arc on the solar panel To avoid breakdown, a box called the Plasma Contactor Unit is installed on the ISS .








    The most criticism is always the moment when Clooney hung, pulling Bullock with her own weight. By that time it was visually noticeable that they had stopped. The astronaut asked me to let him go. Not a single woman could have let George Clooney go to certain death. Even an astronaut. Even in space. Therefore, he has to disconnect the cable on his own. He slowly swims away from the station. Although an unknown force pulls Clooney into the distance, Bullock can still hear his voice through a radio system. Clooney tells the plan for further action, distorting the pronunciation of the word "Union". He calls the FGB "Dawn." At NASA, the module is so called only in the department of public relations. In particular, he instructs the doctor of medical sciences about the symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning.







    Bullock's grip can vary depending on the needs of the plot, easily going beyond the capabilities of human hands and gloves of a spacesuit. Mobility in space suits often exceeds the norm. Bullock opens the airlock hatch. The flow of gas abruptly throws it away. Probably someone closed the hatch between the airlock and the rest of the station, otherwise the entire ISS would be depressurized. The ISS crew was evacuated. But at a deserted station, a fully operational Soyuz TMA-14M remained. For unknown reasons, its tanks are empty. Progress and, in the past, European ATV trucks are used to lift the ISS due to constant braking. Correcting the orbit of the ISS with the help of this “Union” would also fail because the truck must be docked to the Zvezda module. In the film, this node is already occupied by the European ATV



    . The Soyuz is always docked to the ISS by the number of crew members, one for three, two for six people. It is impossible to leave the ship simply for a reserve - they have a limited life, they would have to be changed regularly, which is expensive. There are no scenarios in which the escape route remains. Perhaps the station’s crew did work overboard, but died for some other reason (by that time the wreckage had not yet reached the ISS). It could also explain the Bullock-ready gateway. But in a film with a hundred million budget, there is no hint of it.



    Sandra takes off her spacesuit without much difficulty, although this is not the easiest process. It appears in the form of an embryo, filling the film with demonstrative symbolism. A stunningly recreated station and the work of many artists contradicts a primitive legend about a mother who has lost a child. Beautiful renderings contrast brightly with a simple story that is not shown, but is told by meager remarks of heroes. Bullock is well suspended, the viewer creates a good sense of microgravity. But it’s impossible to hang the hair on the cables, so they lie neatly. Italian astronaut Samantha Christopherotti has about the same hair length as Bullock in the film. In this photo, Sam's head is especially fluffy. Photo from the microblog .




    For a woman under fifty, Bullock has good legs. Also, the scene is somewhat reminiscent of the ending of “Alien”. But there should be a special suit under the suit to ensure heat transfer and waste disposal. Sandra worked for several hours (and before the release, it also takes hours to prepare) and completely exhausted the suit, but there are no traces of waste. Without a special suit, it is easy to pass out during spacewalks. After working in outer space, Garrett Reizmann flies through the beautifully recreated ISS environment, while maintaining the illusion of microgravity. As before, the work of artists is at their best : there are laptops of the right types, and on their screens - quite realistic graphics. Sandra unsuccessfully tries to contact the earth services.








    The fragments move slowly so that they can be seen, although in reality they are as difficult to see as a flying bullet. Space debris moves tens of times faster than bullets - a typical collision speed is 10 km / s. The fragments are large for the same reason of visibility. In reality, fragments of this size would be very easy to notice for ground monitoring services. Real space debris is several times smaller, it moves fast. All you can see is the damage done.

    An exciting fire begins at the station. It spreads too quickly, although there is little to burn on the ISS. Bullock goes to the "Union", captures a fire extinguisher. Earlier, she said that each time she failed to land at Soyuz. Training in the "Union" receiveonly ISS crew members.

    Even if ISS visitors are prepared to fly on the Soyuz at the Yu.A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, their role is secondary. In the center sits an experienced pilot-cosmonaut, he controls the main systems. The flight engineer on the left helps to monitor the condition of the ship. It can only be called a co-pilot. Space tourists or a second flight engineer are planted in the seat on the right. This crew member monitors the operation of the communications and life support systems. Probably, astronauts are still taught to act independently, but it is not known how Sandra, who was trained for six months, could receive training at the Soyuz.

    The shuttle, the station and the Explorer are being destroyed beautifully, some advanced physics engine was probably used. Almost all the inscriptions in the Russian segment and the ships were executed externally without errors. It’s enough for Bullock to open one of the books with instructions so that the machine translation traditional for cinema becomes noticeable. "Decrease Order"




    Sandra undocks the Soyuz from the ISS, the apparatus is entangled in slings. To unravel the ship, Bullock goes into outer space in a spacesuit "Falcon" with a patch of fictional astronaut Demidov. It even falls in size, although each is created for a specific person. The Falcon is not designed to work overboard, but only to ensure security after the Soyuz-11 incident, when George Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Victor Patsaev died due to depressurization. To go overboard, preparation is required, for example, the removal of nitrogen from the lungs for breathing with pure oxygen and a return to the familiar atmosphere after. Nothing of the kind happens; Bullock changes one suit after another as fashionable clothes.

    Bullock is in a slightly more spacious “Union” than the real one. The control panels of the device are in place. There is also a VHF radio on which she communicates with a random radio amateur - a fisherman from Greenland. A pen flies across the capsule just like in the 2001 Space Odyssey. Soyuz TMA-19, photograph by NASA . “The union in the film looks a little more spacious. Sandra is working overboard, awkwardly losing parts and tools and reaching for them. It's easy to spot a possible reference to the Planetes anime . Sandra begins to freeze in the Soyuz descent vehicle. Condensation comes out of her mouth, repeating the stereotype of cold space. In reality, the crew often complains








    that the "Union" is too hot. Bullock cries, tears effectively spread through the capsule. The liquid would not leak out of the eyes; it would have to be brushed off independently. This is confirmed by videos with demonstrations from the water, and testimonies of astronauts .



    Clooney returns, enters the "Union" and finds vodka in the lander. Alcohol in space is more of a myth. In addition, it would be strange to hide a bottle in that part of the ship, which will return to Earth, and which must be inspected. Clooney manages to drink from a glass bottle in microgravity. A vessel with rigid walls cannot be squeezed, its contents cannot be sucked out. To drink the contents of a glass bottle on Earth, we lift up its bottom, which Clooney did. Fortunately, all this happens only in Bullock's mind, clouded by oxygen starvation and stress.

    Clooney and Bullock prefer to use a nonexistent side door in the Soyuz lander, which is only in the simulator for training the crew. Probably, the plot would not have suffered much if the film portrayed a real lock in the orbital compartment. Imaginary Clooney suggests using the Soyuz landing engines to reach the Chinese space station. She is also very close, she is even visible. It is enough to direct the ship in her direction, and fly there. It is not known whether it is possible to bypass the automation of the Soyuz to activate solid-fuel landing engines. Documents available on the Web claim that altitude is determined using a gamma ray altimeter.

    Bullock knows well the “Union” on which she never flew, which she should not know. The compartments of the Union are disconnected at its command. But the moment of shooting the heat shield is not shown. The Soyuz shield is shot off after entering the atmosphere and aerodynamic braking. Under it are the soft landing engines. If Bullock was able to program a computer like that, then what prevented her from shooting strands of parachute?

    Soft landing engines are located where they should be. Sandra reaches the Chinese station. This is probably the "Tiangong-3." The third "Heavenly Palace" is planned, but is regularly shifted, now the dates are somewhere in the 2020s. The existing "Tiangong-1" is not used now, it consists of only one module. Bullock just jumps out of the capsule without a life support system. She is overboard for several minutes. Bullock flies on a fire extinguisher. Apparently, the scriptwriters were inspired by WALL-E. In the cartoon, this looks like a comic assumption. In Gravity, this is a serious violence against logic.



    And the Chinese station is ready to receive Bullock. It is enough to open the hatch and be inside. There is no one at the station either, but for unknown reasons the free disposable ship “Shenzhou” is docked. Ping-pong rackets are striking that would be difficult, if not impossible, to play in orbit. Debris reaches this station. They could penetrate her body, but the speed of the modules would change slightly. In the film, the station immediately falls to Earth. Probably, after losing control, the modules would remain in orbit as space debris for months or years. The film allows another political attack: it is alleged that "Shenzhou" is an exact copy of the "Union". Bullock from memory presses the buttons on the dashboard and achieves the desired. Of course, there is a fact of copying (there were even





    landing of Russian scientists for the sale of secrets), but such statements are unfounded. The Shenzhou parachute looks like a real one , but for some reason a black stripe has been added.

    Bullock is splashed, water enters the capsule. She almost drowns, but is freed from the ten-kilogram Falcon. Sandra's body weight is about 50-60 kg. She comes up to land and gets up at full height. Interestingly, the shooting took place at the Powell Reservoir - in the same lake where astronaut Taylor fell in the Planet of the Apes in 1968.

    As a rule, it is customary to end such transfers of numerous inaccuracies of the film with a statement that these are only assumptions. Although some astronauts respondnegatively about the film, many people from the industry immediately begin to say that "Gravity" is drawn out by a tense plot. This will not be done here. The strongest in the film is the work of artists and consultants, the weakest is plot errors. When filming, the actors were placed in special robotic platforms inside the lightbox to create the correct reflections from their skin. They twirled to get the right angles. The camera also moved on a special IRIS manipulator. Many scenes were filmed with hanging actors on cables. Later, unnecessary details were covered up in graphic editors. Work included bonding real-world filming and computer graphics.







    Clooney should have thrown out the semi-hysterical Bullock. Kowalski would do everything on his own. This outwardly confident Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story would face insurmountable difficulties, he would break and get lost. In the end, he would find a way out of the situation, and this would help to reveal his character. It was enough to provide the film with flashbacks with memories of people on Earth, his family and friends. Instead, Clooney does not show any emotion, he calmly sacrifices himself, like a factory-made robot. Dying, he does not remember either his family or his children. When Sandra talks about her child, he does not sympathize with her, probably Matt has no children. All that is inherent in Kowalski is a warm relationship with NASA staff and a desire to break Soloviev’s record. The moment of his death does not cause strong emotions.



    Cuaron probably should have made a film about underwater wanderings. It could be swims between several submarines. Such a setting makes it easy to justify communication problems, using the wrong spacesuits, cold and ignoring orbital mechanics. Or you could make a film about the real events of the past. There are enough examples of the heroism of astronauts and astronauts, at least Boris Volynov’s fall from space. During his flight, there were both spacewalks and spectacular destruction. It would probably be difficult to sell the story of the Soviet cosmonaut during the space race to the American audience. But the Gravity marketing team managed to provide attention to the picture about the destruction of the space telescope, the shuttle, two space stations, the death of many people, as well as the clutter of the orbit with deadly space debris. Probably, they can handle a story about an astronaut whom a wife and two children are waiting for on Earth.

    How "Gravity" was shot on fxguide

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