Mars

In 2033, the first human mission to Mars enters the planet’s atmosphere, but the Daedalus crew faces a life-threatening emergency when the ship’s landing system goes offline. The crew’s commander risks his life as Mission Control monitors from Earth. In current day, SpaceX is attempting to land the world’s first reusable rocket to pioneer the critical technology that will help humans reach Mars.

The Daedalus crew battles the harsh Martian terrain to reach the safety of their pre-built base camp. A race against the clock begins when the ship commander reveals he has been injured during landing. In documentary sequences, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly undergoes an historic year-long mission on the International Space Station, revealing both the physical and emotional hardships astronauts face.

The Daedalus mission is in jeopardy as the crew struggles to find a shelter to protect them from radiation. The team must locate a suitable site for their settlement before their mission is cut short. In documentary segments, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos – Russia’s former federal space agency – partner to launch a probe to study the Martian atmosphere and look for signs of life on Mars.

2037: Four years have passed since the crew landed on Mars and established its first settlement. A new crew arrives to plan for expansion and search for life, but a dust storm threatens the outpost. In present day, we look at how McMurdo Station in Antarctica serves as a modern example of how humans may settle Mars, as scientists work to determine whether life could be possible on another planet.

A devastating tragedy in the colony forces everyone on Mars and Earth to question the mission. While Olympus Town tries to cope and persevere, team leaders back on Earth struggle with the decision whether to end the mission. In the present day, SpaceX continues to work on pioneering rocket technology that could one day help mankind reach the red planet.