In the wake of the Apollo missions, NASA set its sights on exploring the other planets in our solar system. “Seeds of Discovery,” a 1970 award-winning documentary, provides a fascinating glimpse into the agency’s ambitious plans for planetary exploration and scientific satellite research in the coming decade.
The film offers a brief overview of the Mariner flybys of Mars, Pioneer studies of Jupiter, and landings of Viking spacecraft on Mars, all of which were planned for the 1970s. It also discusses the Grand Tour of the Outer Planets, an ambitious mission that would take advantage of a rare alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune to send spacecraft to all four planets in a single mission.
In addition to these planetary missions, “Seeds of Discovery” highlights the importance of solar and other astronomy research, including the study of cosmic rays and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
The film features interviews with NASA scientists and engineers, who explain the technical challenges involved in these missions and the scientific discoveries they hope to make. It also showcases stunning footage of previous space missions and simulations of what these future missions might look like.
Overall, “Seeds of Discovery” is an informative and inspiring documentary that captures the excitement and optimism of NASA’s early days of space exploration. It reminds us of the incredible scientific feats that humans are capable of and the importance of continued exploration and discovery.
