SUMMARY

F9: The Fast Saga takes things to a whole new level with its space travel scenes.
Veteran Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield criticized the scenes.

Director Justin Lin had a serious conversation with NASA scientists regarding the space scenes.

F9: The Fast Saga is the ninth installment in the incredibly popular Fast & Furious franchise, known for its high-octane action sequences, and fast cars. While the franchise has always pushed the boundaries of physics and realism, F9 takes things to a whole new level with its space travel scenes.
Vin Deisel and Michelle Rodriguez in a still from F9: The Fast Saga
While it may not be grounded in reality, it’s undeniably entertaining. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield reviewed this scene and found that this was not a scientifically accurate portrayal of space travel.

 

Astronaut Chris Hadfield Criticized F9: The Fast Saga’s Space Scene

The space travel scenes in F9, starring Vin Diesel are some of the most over-the-top and ridiculous action sequences in the entire franchise. In one scene, Tej Parker (Ludacris) and Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) are launched into space in a Pontiac Fiero that has been modified with rocket engines.

In another scene, Dom and Jakob fight on the roof of a satellite while it is orbiting Earth. Reviewing the space scene in a Vanity Fair video, veteran Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has a lot of things to say. Though even he found it fun to watch, he could not stop from criticizing the scene.
Space travel scene in F9: The Fast Saga
“Like a billion other people on Earth, I really like the ‘Fast & Furious’ series,” Hadfield said in the video. “It’s almost just purely a cartoon, but unavoidably fun to follow and watch it.“
The space travel scenes in F9 have been met with mixed reactions from critics and fans alike. Regardless of people’s feelings about the space travel scenes, there is no doubt that they are some of the most memorable and talked-about moments in F9.

Hadfield said that despite all the fun and entertainment, those were not scientifically accurate portrayals. He said:
“Their engines fire and now they’re rocketing into space, and like 30 seconds later they’re in orbit. It took me eight and a half minutes, so they really went fast. They were getting crushed.”
Nevertheless, the space travel scenes in F9 are a fun and exciting addition to the Fast & Furious franchise.

 

Director Justin Lin Consulted with NASA Scientists to Explore the Concept

The space travel scenes in F9 are visually stunning and defy the laws of physics, but they are also a lot of fun. Director Justin Lin was very serious about this scene as he even “got on the phone with NASA scientists.”
Director Justin Lin
Speaking with Vulture, Lin said:
“Going to space was not something I took for granted or I was very flippant about… It is something that I did have a lot of conversations about. A lot of conversations. And it went from rocket scientists laughing, going, ‘What the fuck?’ to us saying, ‘Well, can this really happen? If other rocket scientists have to get up there and the capsules are coated with these polymers? Blah blah blah.’ This is something that was thought out. If anything — logistically, scientifically — it’s one of the most sound action set pieces in our franchise.”
Overall, F9: The Fast Saga may not be scientifically accurate, but it succeeds in entertaining audiences with its thrilling action sequences and larger-than-life scenarios.

Watch F9: The Fast Saga on Netflix.