Part one of two. The world watches in awe as the first-ever trans-lunar passenger ship is launched, with the First Lady and a lottery winner among those taking a journey around the moon and back in just hours. But while en route, the craft is blown away from Earth's orbit and into the path of the sun - which will have disastrous repercussions for the planet as well as those on board.

Conclusion. As the Aurora picks up speed, it's only a matter of hours until it burns, triggering a solar-storm event that will send Earth back to the Stone Age. Now, preparing for the inevitable seems the last - and only - terrifying option.