Richard Garriott, the computer game designer often known by his pseudonym "Lord British," journeyed to the International Space Station in 2008 as a paying tourist courtesy of Space Adventures aboard a Russian Soyuz.
As a result of his travels, Garriott has produced two films, one a documentary called "Man on a Mission" and the other a science fiction short film called "Apogee of Fear" starring some of the crew of the ISS. "Man on a Mission" will shortly be in limited release to a number of theaters. "Apogee of Fear" is being held up by NASA which has so far refused permission for its release possibly because of the involvement of its astronauts.
Who is Richard Garriott?
Garriott is the son of Owen Garriott, a former NASA astronaut who flew on a mission to Skylab in the mid-1970s. Garriott first won fame and lots of money by designing a series of computer games under the "Ultima" brand name starting in the early 1980s. The games allowed the player to have adventures in a fantasy universe filled with magic, monsters, and deadly perils.
Garriott was able to parlay his wealth into accomplishing a life-long dream of traveling into space during his stay on the ISS. He also participated in a number of more Earth bound adventures, including two expeditions to Antarctica, a voyage down the Amazon, and a dive in a submersible to the wreck of the Titanic.
What is "Man on a Mission?"
The documentary recounts Garriott's trip to the ISS, including his training in Russia. The film touches on the fact that Garriott is the second generation of his family to travel into space. His father did it the traditional way, as a NASA astronaut. He did it the modern way, on a commercial space flight. The movie has been given good reviews in venues ranging from the New York Times to the film and TV fan site Aintitcool. It is due to be released starting in January to a number of theaters.
What is "Apogee of Fear?"
According to Space.Com, "Apogee of Fear" is an eight minute short science fiction film starring three of Garriott's hosts on the ISS, two American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut. It is the very first science fiction film shot in space, which makes it something of a historical document. The story involves what happens on the ISS after Garriott leaves and apparent involves suspicions that something alien has snuck aboard. Thus far, for reasons unknown, NASA had yet to give permission for its release.
Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker . He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly Standard.
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