Nasa set to approve world's first sci-fi film shot in space

NASA scientists may be more used to grappling with data from space and plotting the orbits of satellites than dealing with copyright issues, but the agency is set to give the green light for the release of the world's first sci-fi film shot in space.
 
The short video, called Apogee of Fear, was shot by 'space tourist' Richard Garriott during his 10-day stay on the International Space Station in 2008. However, as he did not have official permission to make the film there is now a legal issue, reports The Register.
 
Although the five-minute adventure, which has had some scenes added since Garriott returned to earth, was privately shown at the Dragon*Con fantasy convention last year it cannot be officially released.
 
Nasa communications official Bob Jacobs told The Register the agency was working to "facilitate the video's release". He explained that the problem arose because the film "was not part of [Garriott's] original Space Act agreement with Nasa [although] everyone involved had the best of intentions".
 
According to the website the film "involves a mysterious passenger who sneaks aboard the ISS for their own reasons, and it contains knowing nods to many of the greats of the science fiction genre". A bootleg version (below) has been posted on YouTube, and Hollywood's action heroes will be pleased to note that the current crop of astronauts aboard the ISS are unlikely to challenge them for any upcoming roles.
 
Garriott, a video game developer and entrepreneur whose father was a US astronaut, paid for his trip into space himself and became only the second second-generation space traveller, following in the footsteps of a Russian cosmonaut's son.
 
The space-mad businessman and amateur film-maker also paid $68,500 to 'own' two man-made machines including a surveying device that sit on the moon's surface. He has made other space-related films and if the video shot on board the ISS is cleared then they could be released together.
 
"We appreciate Richard's cooperation and his ongoing efforts to get people excited about the future of space exploration," said Nasa.

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