Ever since George Méliès first took us beyond Earth in 1902’s "A Trip to the Moon", filmmakers have been fascinated with cinematic depictions of living beyond the confines of our home planet. As the last few years have signaled a renewed interest in settling other planets such as Mars, it’s only natural for the dreamers among us to look to these interpretations for clues as to the particulars of this possible future. How will we travel to these destinations? How will we live? Who will pay for all of this?
Science fiction cinema offers answers speculative answers to all of these questions but can any of it provide any actual insight of worth? We spoke to Christopher Wanjek, author of "Spacefarers: How Humans Will Settle the Moon, Mars, and Beyond" (and occasional Space.com contributor) to find out just how feasible some of the more far-out cinematic takes on space settling might be.
