When Does "Slingshot" (2024) Take Place?
“Slingshot” is a science fiction film written by R. Scott Adams with Nathan Parker and released September 5th, 2024.
It takes place in the years:
We know this because, during the slingshot maneuver about halfway through the film, “29 07 2032” is visible on a screen tracking a countdown to the spaceship Odyssey-1's entrance to the planet Jupiter's atmosphere under the words "ABSOLUTE TIME". Certainly, this means it's July 29th, 2032 AD. The main character experiences drug-induced hibernation on a repeating cycle of about 90 days, or 3 months, each. We see him go through at least three of these before the slingshot maneuver and exactly two afterward.
2031 AD - 2033 AD
We know this because, during the slingshot maneuver about halfway through the film, “29 07 2032” is visible on a screen tracking a countdown to the spaceship Odyssey-1's entrance to the planet Jupiter's atmosphere under the words "ABSOLUTE TIME". Certainly, this means it's July 29th, 2032 AD. The main character experiences drug-induced hibernation on a repeating cycle of about 90 days, or 3 months, each. We see him go through at least three of these before the slingshot maneuver and exactly two afterward.
Three sets of three months is:
3 x 3 = 9
and
2 two sets of three months is:
2 x 3 = 6
so
7.2032 - 9 months = 10.2031
and
7.2032 + 6 months = 1.2033.
("ABSOLUTE TIME" is distinguished by the onboard computer from "JOURNEY TIME" which is different because time is relative based on speed, due to gravity, as described by Einstein in the Theory of Relativity.)
So, the film starts in October of 2031 AD and ends in January of 2033 AD. These dates make sense with Zoe Morgan's vague reference to " '28" as the year of an expeditionary mission, which must have happened in a past 2028 AD.
At one point, Captain Franks says, "Gentlemen, we have been in space for nearly two years." so the many flashbacks to just before their launch must be in mid to late 2030 AD.
7.2032 - 2 = 7.2030.
