Kolkata, March 12 A new full-dome 3D digital film titled “One Step Beyond: A Journey to Mars,” which takes viewers on an immersive voyage to reach the Red Planet, was unveiled at Science City here on Thursday.
The film was inaugurated by a senior scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology, Goutam Chattopadhyay.
The 25-minute fulldome 3D film traces the legacy of humanity's first steps on the Moon and looks ahead to the ambitious plans of future space exploration, particularly the mission to reach Mars.
Through immersive visuals and storytelling, it showcases the excitement of rocket launches, the challenges of living and working in space, and technological advancements shaping the next era of exploration.
The narrative also highlights developments under the Artemis program and the scientific quest to search for signs of life beyond Earth.
Speaking at the event, Choudhury said the fulldome 3D digital theatre at Science City is equipped to screen high-resolution fulldome content in both 2D and 3D formats, as well as planetarium shows.
The theatre uses six high-end digital projectors delivering an effective screen resolution of nearly 30 million pixels. The projections are seamlessly blended on a 23-degree tilted dome measuring 23 metres in diameter, built using Ulteria Seam technology, which employs a specialised seamless joining process.
“This advanced facility creates a truly immersive viewing experience, making audiences feel as though they are part of the scenes unfolding around them, with objects in 3D projections appearing close enough to touch,” he said.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Director General of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), A D Choudhury, his deputy K S Murali, and Science City Director Pramod Grover.
Murali noted that the Space Theatre at Science City, established in 1997, was the first-of-its-kind facility in India and attracted around 77 lakh visitors during nearly two-and-a-half decades of operation.
“After its upgradation in 2019 into India’s first full-dome 3D digital theatre, it has become even more popular among visitors. The films screened here have attracted more than 17.5 lakh visitors,” he said.
Grover said the film blends scientific accuracy with cinematic storytelling to educate and inspire audiences about the future of human space exploration.
“This full-dome production offers an awe-inspiring experience that introduces audiences to fascinating aspects of science while creating a deeply immersive viewing environment,” he said.
The film, presented by the National Space Centre and produced by NSC Creative, premiered internationally on June 11, 2025, at the Fulldome Festival Brno in Brno before being showcased at the National Space Centre in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2025.
Rendered in 8K full-dome resolution at 60 frames per second, the production offers a visually immersive educational experience aimed at sparking curiosity about science and humanity's place in the universe.
The film will be screened seven times daily between 11 am and 5 pm in Bengali, Hindi and English. It will open to the general public from Friday at Science City, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the immersive fulldome production.