Roving Mars Is there life on Mars?

Roving Mars, the thrilling true story of the 2003 mission to Mars in search of life, will show at IMAX Melbourne from 16 August.

Disney Pictures and IMAX Theatre Melbourne are presenting this incredible tale on the big screen. Taking audiences on the space journey of a lifetime, the film includes clear high definition images of Mars surface, as well as the powerful and emotional story of the creation of intrepid robot explorers, Spirit and Opportunity.

Roving Mars was directed by the highly acclaimed George Butler (Shackletons Antarctic Adventure) and produced by Academy Award®-nominated Frank Marshall (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Seabiscuit, The Color Purple). This thrilling true story is rated G and screening only at IMAX Melbourne from 16 August.

"The previous two missions had failed, so on the day of landing you could cut the tension with a knife. IMAX cameras had exclusive behind the scenes access, so the audience have the best of it all, feeling the emotion from day one and getting to walk the surface with the rovers upon their landing," explains Chief Scientist Steve Squyres, who was one of the driving forces of the expedition.

Rovers Spirit and Opportunity actually had to survive on Mars, but everyone else intimately involved in the mission also got a taste of what life was like on the Red Planet. Today, the two rovers are still functioning, and NASA has just commissioned funding to extend the project until at least September 2007.

"The Mars Rovers have been amazing over-achievers. They were originally designed to last for 3 months but have now been going on Mars for over 3 years. In that time they have made important discoveries such as finding evidence that liquid water once flowed on the red planet" explains Dr. Martin Bush, Astronomer, Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks.

IMAX Ticket prices: Adult $17.50. Child $12.50. Family (2 adults/2 children) $50.00.
For information on screening times please call (03) 9663 5454 or log on to www.imaxmelbourne.com.au .