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Before the Moon

Before astronauts could travel to space, they first had to learn how to survive it.

Before The Moon weaves together the firsthand accounts of NASA astronauts, flight directors, engineers, and scientists with the stories of historians and experts from a quiet Pennsylvania town where the limits of human flight were first understood.

Through voices that include legendary NASA flight director Gene Kranz, and astronauts Terry Hart, Chris Ferguson, and John Herrington, the film reveals the hidden human groundwork behind America’s space program in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs - work that unfolded far from the launchpads and mission control rooms.

At the Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania - home to the world’s largest and most powerful human centrifuge - Cold War researchers pushed pilots and astronauts to the edge of human endurance, studying acceleration, consciousness, and survival decades before the first Moon landing. Their breakthroughs in aerospace medicine, flight simulation, and human-factors research quietly shaped every American space mission from Mercury through Apollo.

Narrated by veteran astronaut Jerry Ross, Before The Moon reframes the space race as a story of preparation and invisible infrastructure - honoring the engineers, scientists, technicians, and communities whose work made survival beyond Earth possible.

  • Jason Sherman
    Director
  • Jason Sherman
    Writer
  • Jason Sherman
    Producer
  • Jerry Ross
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
    NASA
  • Gene Kranz
    Key Cast
    NASA
  • Terry Hart
    Key Cast
    NASA
  • Chris Ferguson
    Key Cast
    NASA
  • John Herrington
    Key Cast
    NASA
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    history, space
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 34 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Jason Sherman

Jason Sherman's journey in the world of film is as diverse and multifaceted as his cultural heritage. Raised in a Spanish-Ukrainian household, Jason's unique blend of cultural experiences has been a driving force behind his dynamic approach to filmmaking. He has carved a niche in the industry with his distinctive storytelling style, marked by a deep understanding of varied human experiences. His films, celebrated for their authenticity and creativity, reflect a life lived at the crossroads of different cultures and perspectives.

As an award-winning filmmaker and director, Jason’s first film, "The Bucks County Massacre," won the Audience Choice Award at the 2011 New Hope Film Festival. This thrilling work was later released with a new director's cut in 2020, achieving global distribution through All Channel Films. It is also currently licensed by Magnolia Pictures, and was broadcast on Comcast and Xfinity TV channels in 2015 to 30 million households, reflecting its widespread appeal.

In "The King's Highway," Jason captured the essence of historical documentary filmmaking. This incredible film won the Best Feature Documentary at the 2016 FirstGlance Philadelphia Film Festival as well as the Preservation Education Award at the 2018 Preservation Achievement Awards. It also aired on WHYY/PBS along with Comcast and Verizon channels for the entire 2017 and 2018 television seasons. The documentary's success was further bolstered by its global distribution, managed by Indie Rights and All Channel Films.

Jason's documentary "Cutting Corners" has also garnered critical acclaim, including the 2021 Pinnacle Film Festival Best Feature Documentary Award and the 2021 Los Angeles Motion Picture Festival Best Feature Documentary Award. Distributed globally by All Channel Films, this documentary stands as a testament to Sherman's skill in crafting impactful cinematic narratives.

Finally, Jason was recognized as a quarter-finalist in the 2024 Screencraft Screenplay Competition, the Filmmatic Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship, and the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards for his screenplay, Protocol 7—a science fiction thriller that explores the ethical boundaries of technology in a dystopian future.

Beyond his film work, Jason extends his talents to educating others, having conducted workshops at UPenn's Wharton School of Business, and contributing his insights on Fox’s Emmy award-winning show, Xploration Earth 2050.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I made Before The Moon after a realization that genuinely unsettled me. I had spent years fascinated by space history, like so many people, focused on the launches, the astronauts, and the moment we reached the Moon. But I began to notice something missing. The story always seemed to start at liftoff.

I grew up in Pennsylvania, around the corner from where much of this unseen work actually happened, and yet I had never heard about it. When I first learned about the Naval Air Development Center and the centrifuge in Warminster, what struck me was not just their importance, but how completely they had faded from public awareness. I kept asking myself a simple question: how could something so critical become almost invisible?

The deeper I went, the more that question stayed with me.
What I found were not just forgotten places, but people whose work carried enormous responsibility. Engineers, technicians, scientists, and physicians who were pushing the limits of the human body and technology, fully aware that if they got something wrong, someone else might not survive a mission. There was no spotlight on them. Just the quiet understanding that their work had to be right. That stayed with me in a way I didn’t expect.

As I listened to their stories, I realized this wasn’t just a regional history or a footnote to NASA. It was part of the foundation of everything we celebrate about space exploration. The Moon landing was not just a moment. It was the result of years of preparation, much of it happening in places most people have never heard of. At the same time, I became aware of how fragile these stories are. Many of the people who were there are now in the later years of their lives, and some passed away during the making of this film. I felt a growing urgency that if these stories weren’t captured now, they would disappear with them. Not just the facts, but the perspective, the mindset, and the responsibility they carried.

This film also comes at a moment where we are preparing to return to the Moon through the Artemis program. As we look forward, I felt it was just as important to look back, not only at what we achieved, but at how we achieved it. I did not approach this film as an engineer or historian, but as a filmmaker trying to understand how something so important could be overlooked. What I found was a story about preparation, discipline, and people who did extraordinary work without recognition.

Before The Moon is my attempt to make that part of the story visible again.