Apogee of Fear
First narrative fiction film made entirely in space.
Apogee of Fear is a 2012 science fiction comedy short film, and it holds the distinction of being the first narrative fiction film shot entirely in space. (This sets it apart from the 1984 film *Return from Orbit*, which was only partially filmed in space.) The movie was shot by Richard Garriott, who used a script and production materials he commissioned from fantasy author Tracy Hickman. The principal filming took place during Garriott’s stay on the International Space Station as a spaceflight participant in October 2008.
The plot begins with a fake trailer for *The Magnificent Five Plus One*, which presents the Space Station crew as the stars. Garriott is listed as “The Gunfight Participant,” a satirical nod to his official title of “Spaceflight Participant.” After the credits, motion graphics show a Soyuz spacecraft leaving the ISS, carrying Garriott, Volkov, and Kononenko back to Earth. Fincke and Chamitoff wave goodbye but express relief that Garriott is gone, as he had been annoying them with constant talk of computer games. Lonchakov insists they return to work. A week later, Chamitoff and Fincke miss Garriott: Chamitoff can no longer juggle without him, and Fincke notes Garriott was useful for settling arguments about who was upside down. Lonchakov then points out that the station’s oxygen usage is too high. The crew theorizes that interstellar aliens have invaded, leading to a search of ridiculous locations, where the alien’s surprising nature is revealed. The finished film runs just over eight minutes and contains many references to classic sci-fi movies, including *The Day the Earth Stood Still*, *Forbidden Planet*, and *Galaxy Quest*.
The cast includes Yuri Lonchakov, Michael Fincke, and Gregory Chamitoff as themselves, Richard Garriott as “The Spaceflight Participant,” and Helen Garriott as “The Spaceflight Participant’s Mother.”
In pre-production, Hickman quietly developed the project under the cover title *Project Icarus*. Once Garriott approved the script, the false preview and opening credits were produced before the flight and preloaded onto Garriott’s flight camera. The opening credits were laid over graphics created by professional motion graphics artist Curtis Hickman, Tracy Hickman’s son. Background video for the preview was shot by Hickman at various locations outside St. George, Utah. Green screen elements of Richard’s mother Helen
- release_year
- 2012
- genre
- science fiction comedy short film
- director
- Richard Garriott
- writer
- Tracy Hickman
- runtime
- just over eight minutes
- filming_location
- International Space Station
- notable_for
- first narrative fiction film made completely in space
Lore & Background
The film begins with a faux preview for The Magnificent Five Plus One, promoting the Space Station crew as stars, with Richard Garriott billed as 'The Gunfight Participant'—a satirical nod to his official status as a 'Spaceflight Participant.' The plot follows the crew missing Garriott after his departure, then discovering a high oxygen usage that leads them to theorize an alien invasion. A search of ridiculous locations reveals the surprising nature of the alien. The film includes references to classic science-fiction movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, and Galaxy Quest.
Reader's Guide
Apogee of Fear holds significance as the first narrative fiction film shot entirely in space, demonstrating the feasibility of creative filmmaking under the constraints of microgravity and a working space station. Its production required careful planning to avoid impacting the crew's schedule or payload limits, with pre-produced elements and cue cards in English and Russian. The film faced initial NASA refusal over branding concerns but was eventually released as a special feature on the DVD Man on a Mission. Its legacy lies in pioneering off-Earth cinema and highlighting the intersection of private spaceflight and popular culture.
Did You Know?
- The film was produced under the cover title Project Icarus during pre-production.
- Volkov and Kononenko appeared in the film, while Fincke and Chamitoff were the ones who declined to participate.
More in American science fiction films 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record