When the creative team behind Apple TV’s new series PLURIBUS went looking for a location that could capture both the awe of deep space and the rugged beauty of the American Southwest, they found exactly what they needed at the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) in the Plains of San Agustin in Socorro County, New Mexico.
The production took over the NSF VLA for several days of sunrise-to-sunset filming. The crew set up an extensive basecamp to support the production, with nearly a dozen trailers and hundreds of staff, including the construction of a “control room” in the center of the telescope array.
Viewers watching the show would not realize how much teamwork, coordination, and care went on behind the scenes by NSF NRAO staff to make the shoot possible.
Staff across multiple NSF NRAO divisions came together to coordinate logistics, from Education and Public Outreach, to Maintenance and Operations. Their expertise, and long hours in the field, ensured the telescopes, staff, and crew remained safe, and the experience was both fun and inspiring for everyone involved. An NSF NRAO scientist served as a science advisor for the script, and several other staff applied to be on-screen extras, bringing authentic NSF VLA energy straight to the screen.
For the PLURIBUS team, filming at the NSF VLA provided an iconic and authentic New Mexico backdrop, along with the opportunity to experience radio astronomy in action. For the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory, it was our latest chance to share the wonder of our science with audiences around the world.
From Hollywood to hard science, this partnership was in perfect alignment. And as Apple TV’s PLURIBUS draws new eyes to the desert skies of New Mexico, the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array once again takes center stage as a symbol of curiosity, discovery, and collaboration.