Film Premiere: The Changing Face of Mars

In August of 2012 the world was transfixed by the remarkable landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars. It is yet another example of the world's fascination with the Red Planet. Until the mid-1960s, our understanding of Mars resided mostly in the realm of the human imagination. While at the time no one expected to find "little green men," there was hope that life might be found flourishing on its surface.

In 1964 the first spacecraft ever to visit Mars, Mariner 4, built and flown by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, began to change our understanding of the planet. Yet subsequent Mars missions continued to surprise, delight and confound. That story is told in the JPL-produced 90-minute documentary, The Changing Face of Mars. The film blends newly discovered and restored archive film footage with the personal reflections of the  pioneer explorers who undertook these early adventures, from Mariner 4 to the arrival of the Viking orbiters and landers in 1976.

In addition to the film premiere, a historic first "view" of Mars, assembled by the Mariner 4 science team, will be on display.

Join national Emmy award-winning producer/director/writer Blaine Baggett as he provides remarks and premieres The Changing Face of Mars, the fourth installment of the documentary series Beginnings of the Space Age. John Casani, a veteran of the first missions to Mars and former Chief Engineer at JPL, will provide opening remarks.

Admission is free with no tickets or reservations required. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.