New NASA-themed TV Pilot by 'The Martian' Author Andy Weir

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Author Andy Weir, who wrote the bestselling novel "The Martian" on which the successful 2015 movie of the same name was based, announced CBS is picking up his idea for a new pilot for a television show called "Mission Control."

"For the past several months, I've been working on a TV show pilot, and I'm happy to announce that CBS is going to make it!" Weir posted

on Facebook.

"Of course, I'm all about scientific accuracy and this show will be no exception."

Weir added (in what I assume was his best Tom Hanks), "Should be a hell of a show."

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Author Andy Weir in NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston during a tour. Credit: NASA/James Blair and Lauren Hartnett. [/caption]

The show will be a drama, with the main characters working as flight controllers at the Mission Control Center in Houston, and how they "juggle their personal and professional lives during a critical mission with no margin for error," reported

Deadline Hollywood.

Weir said casting for the actors is about to begin, but there is already "an impressive group of behind-the-camera people already involved," he said. "Notably: [producer] Aditya Sood, whom I worked with before on "The Martian".

Additionally, Simon Kinberg, another producer for the "The Martian," will be the executive producer of the new series.

Andy Weir on Universe Today's "Weekly Space Hangout" in January 2015:

Weir was first hired as a programmer for a national laboratory at age fifteen then worked as a software engineer. But as a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects like relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight, he wrote "The Martian" in his spare time. Weir originally self-published the novel in 2011, but it was so successful, the rights to it were purchased by Crown Publishing and it was re-released it in 2014. A film adaptation directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, was released in October 2015.

"The Martian" is the story of astronaut Mark Watney, who becomes stranded alone on Mars in the year 2035, and does everything he can to survive.

Weir didn't provide a timeline of when the show would air, but

Keith Cowing at NASAWatch reported

that NASA Public Affairs "has been approached by the show's producers and they are waiting on a script for final consideration. At this point NASA has not committed to assist the producers, allow use of its logo, facilities, staff etc."

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com