Meet the Englishman who sent ants into space

A year ago, the joint mission involving Castrol, innovative space start-up Lunar Outpost and MIT Media Lab lifted off from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. After an eight-day journey, the Lunar Voyage 1 mission landed at the lunar South Pole.

Now, the documentary Drive Me to the Moon explores that journey and how science, industry and human perseverance came together to overcome one of the most hostile environments in the solar system.

The release comes at a pivotal moment for lunar exploration, with excitement building as NASA’s Artemis programme prepares to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

Aston spoke to scientist Chris Lockett.