This is currently running on the National Geographic Channel. The premise is that a neutron star is going to decimate our solar system - including the Earth - and Humanity has 75 years to build a starship using current/near future technology to whisk a quarter of a million "chosen survivors" off to Barnard's Star - 6.5 or so light years distant.

It is a documentary with short vignettes acted out to illustrate various concepts and possible events. At its core, is a huge multi-national governmental project to build  a giant starship which will transport a genetically "perfect" and bio-diverse group of humans on a 50 year interstellar journey to their new home - Earth II.

Of course, this isn't the only project underway...

Private multi-billionaires have pooled their sources and are building their own starship to escape the upcoming doomsday. They, are selling tickets for the price of $500,000,000 a piece. And, of course, unlike the government funded program, the people who actually design, and build the starship have already earned  their passage to the stars.

What happens?

The Government funded project succeeds and the privately funded project blows up on the launch pad!

 
 

Whew!!! And here I thought that the next generation of fools wouldn't have a doomsday of their own to freak out over.

Lets see, neutron star explodes, and this space ship is going top survive the blast how?

Money is not necessarily an indicator of a higher intellect.

What got me about it was the not too subtle propaganda aspect.

The private sector - the billionaires who build their own starship are doomed to failure.

The Government sector - well, they are the ones who succeed.

Private sector = BAD!

Government sector = GOOD!

Note, the government uses all OUR resources and time to serve a selected cross section of humanity - like politicians. Surprised? Check any disaster movie, and see how Hollyweird assumes that politicians would save themselves and screw the rest of us.

That assumption is reasonable, considering the perpetrators. They'd take along their acolytes as well. Servants for the coming regime once they land and find unicorns and live happily ever after on a planet with an atmosphere all wrong for their lifestyle.

Fear drives the exploration of space today. Don't fund it properly? The doomsters will correct that, reminding us of orbits of things we can't avoid, or sun-spots that can wipe out our computer society and leave us...gasp...without Twitter and Facebook.