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Lifeline: Aerospace Logistics Tomorrow (1971)

1971 · Short film · 13 min

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Synopsis

This 1971 film "Lifeline" (alternate title "Lifeline in Space") was produced by the US Air Force and directed by Con Pederson for Graphic Films. It uses well-designed conceptual art and simple yet highly effective animation to present a hypothetical look at the future of space travel, space stations, and aeronautics technology. Founded during WWII, Graphic Films was founded by former Disney animator and USC professor Lester Novros. It produced a wide range of industrial films for the U.S. government and is credited with helping visualize and present the theoretical technology behind space travel, that helped inspire the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. (Note: this film was released in 1971, however it likely predates the 1970s as the U.S. Air Force's Manned Space Flight Program and the Manned Orbiting Laboratory space station were essentially curtailed by the time this film was released.) Opening titles: The seal of the Department of the Air Force. “The United States Air Force Presents, Lifeline, Aerospace Logistics Tomorrow” (0:09). An animated illustration of the earth from outer space. A slow pan across the stars reveals a collection of satellites (0:30). Inside one of the imagined satellites, animated astronauts sit at control panels. Experimental spacecraft. A distant crater houses a space station (1:18). On the surface of a distant planet, an “ALOMAR” factory and a series of rocket launchpads (2:20). A mission control crew moves a rocket into position, working in a…

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Details

Running time
13 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films

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