Russia for the first time in the world sent a film director and actress into space – Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Millions of viewers watched our unique space launch on October 5th. Baikonur Cosmodrome, 11:55 Moscow time. According to the schedule, the Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle with the Soyuz MS-19 manned spacecraft took off from the launch pad and soared upward. On board – the first “movie crew” in the history of astronautics. These are the Hero of Russia cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, film director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild.
Russia was the first in the world to send a director and actress to the International Space Station. And not just to admire the beauty of the Earth from a height of more than 400 kilometers. They have to shoot a full-length feature film in orbit. Which no one has ever done before.
The scientific and educational project “Challenge” will be implemented during the ISS-66 expedition. The planned duration of its work is 174 days. And Peresild and Shipenko will spend at least 12 days at the space station.
To say that emotions were off scale is to say nothing. Both specialists and fellow filmmakers and journalists. The spacecraft reached the ISS after two orbits, in about 3 hours and a half. It is significant: this was the third manned launch in such an ultra-short circuit. A two-day one is traditional, when the ship makes 34 revolutions around the Earth.
At 15.12 Moscow time, the “kinoekipazh” moored to the “Rassvet” module of the ISS Russian segment. Fantastic. To the space station, like by train to Kaluga. True, here, too, I had to worry: the automation began to malfunction, so we decided not to risk it and switch to manual control. The specialists will certainly figure out what the matter is. “The situation is regular. For this, we are training commanders so that they can cope with this guarantee,” – Dmitry Rogozin, permission of Roscosmos.
After a little over three hours of flight, the first ever movie crew docked at the International Space Station. Photo: Sergey Savostyanov / RIA Novosti
… The whole world saw what was happening at Baikonur. Here the crew gets off the bus and heads to the rocket. Everyone wearing masks is a pandemic. But, as they say, an actress with a very cute make-up. Everyone has a small suitcase in their hands. What is there? It turns out that it is connected to a spacesuit: it pumps 183 liters of cold air per minute. As soon as the astronaut sits down in the cradle, he is already connected to the spacecraft system.
The crew climbs the stairs, the commander closes by tradition. They wave their hands, smile. 210 seconds – the parameters of the control system of the launch vehicle are normal … And each time the calm voice of Commander Shkaplerov sounds on the air: “There is order on board. The crew feels good.”
Actress Yulia Peresild plays a surgeon who, according to the plot of the film, is sent into orbit to save a sick astronaut
And now Soyuz-MS-19 separated from the third stage of the launch vehicle. “The ship has entered low-earth orbit” – the announcer’s words were drowned in thunderous applause. Like in the movies. By the way, at the moment of launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome, the commander of the crew Anton Shkaplerov said the traditional: “Let’s go!”, To which the director Klim Shipenko and the actress Yulia Peresild answered in a purely cinematic way: “Camera! Motor! Let’s start! “
“I’m just in shock,” the eldest daughter of Yulia Peresild Anya, who was watching the start of her mother, honestly admitted. It is still difficult for her to portray that mom is “there”. Here is the wife of Klim Shipenko with the baby. And her feelings are also overwhelming.
Dmitry Rogozin, general director of Roscosmos, noted that it was difficult for the combat crew at the Baikonur cosmodrome to work during the launch due to the huge number of guests. According to him, in recent years it was believed that this was an ordinary job, no different from any other job. But those who were present at the cosmodrome yesterday saw how all this is happening.
By the way, according to the press service of Channel One, the live broadcast of the launch on the Internet has collected more than 10 million views.
The launch of the film crew has already been appreciated overseas. I remember that last year they announced plans to launch Tom Cow and director Doug Lyman into space. It hasn’t worked yet. So the movie superman, probably, only has to bite his elbows. Our Julia Peresild became the first space actress.
Actress Julia Peresild will play her main role on the International Space Station. Photo: RIA Novosti
This has never happened before in the history of world cosmonautics: for the first time a feature film will be filmed not in the studio’s pavilion, but in the Earth’s orbit. And space professionals will help them in this. Which will also appear in the film.
Yulia Peresild plays a surgeon who, according to the plot, goes into orbit to save an astronaut. And here we must once again say about who brought the filmmakers to the “set” – Anton Shkaplerov. This is the fourth flight for him. Behind 533 days spent in zero gravity, he twice worked in open space. But experience is experience, and when there are two space flight participants in the crew at once, or more simply – two “amateurs”, and there is no flight engineer – this is extremely serious. And this is also a kind of challenge – to completely take over the control of the spacecraft.
It was not only the commander and his entire team who were preparing, but the ship itself was also preparing. Thus, Soyuz MS-19 was equipped with portable consoles so that it could be operated by one person. “I had to learn to fly the ship alone. Our” Soyuz has equipped a new portable console for especially important teams that perform the functions of flight engineers. …
For training, the complex simulator of the spacecraft at the Cosmonaut Training Center was finalized, the onboard documentation was rewritten. Part of the operations is entrusted to Peresild and Shipenko. As the commander explained, near Yulia there is a valve for supplying oxygen to the descent vehicle, and to the left of Klim there is a valve for supplying oxygen to spacesuits, as well as air ventilation dampers.
The director and actress were preparing for an accelerated program. Nobody hides: it was not easy. However, the difficulties faced by all participants in the ambitious project do not force people of various professions to abandon the idea of accelerated preparation for flights. On the contrary, practice has shown that it is quite realistic and even necessary.
Photo: Sasha Gusov / Channel One
“Now the task was to prepare an actress and a director for the flight to shoot a feature film. – Appraisal at the pre-launch press conference.
When a new movie is made, it’s always good. And when they promise a super-project tied to space, it’s just great. How not to recall the premiere of the film “Saluta-7” by Klim Shipenko in the Kremlin Palace: in the room from the Hero of Space. The Stars shine on both those who flew and those who made the rockets and the ships they flew. It was beating on my nerves: “We can return only one person to Earth!”
The blockbuster was based on the real dramatic events of 1985. But there were also enough artistic inventions. One of the heroes-rescuers, the flight engineer of the Soyuz T-13, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Viktor Savinykh, told the RG correspondent: “I was categorically against the episode where the cosmonaut was repairing the sun sensor with a sledgehammer.
However, the fact remains: it broke all attendance records. And the competition in universities for space specialties just jumped. It is no coincidence that the commander of the backup crew, Hero of Russia, cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, noted: “This flight is the most profitable, the best investment in the future of our cosmonautics.”
An interesting detail. While preparations were underway for the filming of the film “Challenge”, Roscosmos had already received two applications for commercial flights.
On Earth, Julia Peresild is waiting for her closest people, including her daughters Maria and Anna. Photo: Valery Sharifulin / TASS
Only in “RG”
It is known that any crew member can take some personal items with him into orbit – no more than 1 kg. For example, Yulia Peresild took with her photographs of her children and a photo of Alena Mordovina’s “understudy”. But Klim Shipenko took a mascot T-shirt with him into space: he starts filming every new film in it. “RG” asked: what is written on the mascot T-shirt? “The caption says Impossible is nothing,” the director replied.
Meanwhile
What do astronauts in orbit get sick with in reality?
Until now, crews have flown and are flying in Earth orbit. As they say, “close by.” Therefore, the entire medical care system is built on the possibility of returning if a life-threatening situation arises. “At one time, for example, options were developed for the provision of space surgical aid in space flights. We fly in orbit – it’s easier to land.
Answering the question, should be cut out appendicitis in astronauts who will fly, for example, to the moon, the scientist replied: “You asked a very good question. I already mentioned that the problem of surgery in space flight has not been solved. or other risks, I might agree: it is easier to remove appendicitis, so that other situations that require surgical intervention do not arise in flight, including robotics.
In general, as experts say, most often astronauts complain of headaches, vestibular disorders, and nausea. Even a runny nose happens: there are fans there too. He worked sweaty next to him – and that’s what he got. Minor injuries, bruises, sprains occur. After all, the physical loads are huge. There was a case. The astronaut trained on a treadmill. To imagine: two tension bands pull it from both sides to the simulator with a force of about 50-60 kilograms. The “running” speed is about 11 km per hour. And suddenly one pull came off. The man was practically thrown in the other direction. Thank God there were no injuries.
Direct speech
Valeria Shipenko, mother of the director:
– You took me by surprise – the ship has just docked. We were already nervous to leave the hall. But then at the exit – they stopped: docked !!! The third time, manually. You understand how symbolic it is, even unthinkable. Klim filmed the same situation in his film “Salute 7”, he lost it all. And now it happened in real life. Of course, I was very nervous. We were all worried here for two days. They saw off, supported. Of course, the guys are doing well. But for us – loved ones – all the same, their tension is visible.
Sergei Selyanov, producer of the film “Salute 7”:
– The moment of joining is largely the same as the method in Klim Shipenko’s film “Salute 7”. The movie is based on real events. As it turned out – not only in the past, but also in the future. And Shipenko has something to do with both. Apparently, in the movie “Salute 7” he predicted his future. But this is already very specific. In a broad sense, all films and works of art are given out – if they continue to live, then they are relevant to the present day. Everything that is alive means alive.
A comment
Specially at the invitation of Konstantin Ernst, Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova came to Baikonur for the start of the first film to be filmed in space.
On her Facebook page, Olga Borisovna, after the start and successful docking, posted a photo and video and wrote: “Guys, Klim, Julia and Anton, we root for you, we are worried and are waiting on Earth, at home.”
And especially for the readers of “RG” Olga Lyubimova added to her next words:
Klim Shipenko commanded on takeoff: “Camera, motor!” Real heroes. They believed in us, let us into their team, taught us. “