The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks Film: A Giant Leap for Immersive Storytelling at Space Center Houston

Blending Cutting-Edge AV Technology with Storytelling, Quince Imaging Helps Transform Space Center Houston’s Space Center Theater into a Fully Immersive Experience

Inside Space Center Houston’s 500-seat Space Center Theater, the lights dim, and the audience is transported—immersed in The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks, a groundbreaking cinematic experience. Created in partnership with Lightroom and 59 Studio, The Moonwalkers puts viewers at the heart of the Apollo missions. A custom-built 215-foot wraparound screen, high-resolution projection, and cinematic surround sound bring the historic journey to life. Narrated by Tom Hanks, this 50-minute film offers a stunning retelling of one of humanity’s greatest achievements in space exploration.

Bringing The Moonwalkers to life required the seamless integration of expertise, precision, and partnership. Quince Imaging, a leader in projection mapping and immersive audio-visuals, was contracted directly by Space Center Houston as Lightroom’s preferred North American service partner. Their mission: to transform an existing large format theater into a state-of-the-art immersive venue while maintaining its ability to host traditional screenings and live events.

The Vision and the Challenge

Jeff Wyatt, Chief Experience Officer at Space Center Houston, contacted Lightroom after seeing the original production in London. Following a series of meetings, Wyatt successfully negotiated to bring the film to Space Center Houston for the first premiere in the Americas. Quince was then tasked with designing and implementing a state-of-the-art projection and audio system that could meet Lightroom’s demanding standards while integrating seamlessly into the space museum’s multi-use theater space.

“The contribution of Quince has been essential in making it happen in Houston, and I’m pleased with the outcome,” said James Roxburgh, Technical Director at Lightroom.

One of the most significant challenges was modernizing the former IMAX system to accommodate both the immersive The Moonwalkers film experience and Space Center Houston’s existing large-format screenings. Quince Imaging’s team had just four months to execute the transformation, tackling complex technical requirements and ensuring an intuitive system that could transition effortlessly between different use cases.

The Technology Behind the Experience

At the heart of The Moonwalkers experience is a meticulously engineered projection system. Quince Imaging deployed a fleet of Panasonic PTRQ-35KU and PTRQ-25KU projectors, delivering stunning 60-million-pixel resolution visuals. A custom-designed, 7-channel Scalable Automatic Calibration System ensured flawless image alignment, while five Qlab Media Servers powered high-resolution playback, creating a truly immersive storytelling environment.

But visuals were only part of the equation. The soundscape was equally crucial, requiring the team to design an audio system capable of replicating a rocket launch’s deep, resonant vibrations. This challenge played to Quince Imaging’s strengths—especially lead engineer Keith Price, who had direct experience simulating rocket launch acoustics. His expertise was instrumental in designing a specialized subwoofer array using JBL VTX B28 speakers, delivering an earth-shaking low-frequency experience at 141dB from 20Hz to 80Hz.

To unify the entire system, Quince implemented a sophisticated Q-SYS control platform, allowing seamless transitions between The Moonwalkers, cinematic presentations, and live events with minimal staff intervention. Integrating Blackmagic’s ATEM Constellation 8K added further flexibility, ensuring the theater remained a fully functional multi-purpose venue.

A Collaborative Effort

A project of this scale requires strong partnerships. Quince Imaging collaborated with Generations AV to fabricate the custom screen structure, while Space Center Houston’s in-house engineering team provided crucial facility upgrades. Every aspect of the project was executed precisely, ensuring that The Moonwalkers film would meet and exceed expectations.

“Things are looking good, and initial reactions from our guests have been extremely positive, mentioned Jeff Wyatt, Chief Experience Officer at Space Center Houston.

The Reward of Innovation

For Quince Imaging, the most fulfilling aspect of this endeavor was the opportunity to contribute to a world-renowned space exploration institution. Space Center Houston stands as a testament to human ingenuity and achievement, and The Moonwalkers adds a new dimension to its over 400 artifacts, exhibits, and experiences, blending the rich history of the Apollo program, science, and cutting-edge immersive technology to captivate and educate audiences.

As visitors step out of the theater and into the museum, they are greeted by artifacts of real space missions, a seamless connection between the digital and the tangible. Seeing a real F1 engine and the mighty Saturn V rocket after experiencing The Moonwalkers film bridges the past, present, and future of space exploration in an unforgettable way.

With The Moonwalkers now a shining addition to Space Center Houston, Quince Imaging continues to push the boundaries of immersive storytelling, proving the sky is not the limit with the right combination of vision, technology, and collaboration.

Theater Details

  • 500-seat Space Center Theater located at Space Center Houston
  • 50-minute total experience time
  • Custom 215’ warp around screen surface

Technical Details

  • 60-million-pixel projection canvas
  • Additional LFE, 141DB, 20Hz-80Hz @1m
  • 7-channel Scalable Automatic Calibration System custom configured for Mac based server system.
  • Q-SYS show control and DSP unified system across The Moonwalkers and the existing large format cinema system

Key Products Includes:

  • (5) Panasonic PTRQ-35KU
  • (2) Panasonic PTRQ-25KU
  • (4) JBL VTX B28
  • (2) Q-SYS Core 510i
  • (5) Qlab Media Servers
  • (1) Blackmagic ATEM Constellation 8k

Name the members of the Quince team on this project:

  • Space Center Houston
    • Chief Experience Officer – Jeff Wyatt
    • Director of Information Technology – Crystal Garza
    • Director of Public Programs and Interpretation – Chance Sanford
    • Technical Project Manager – Nick Leyva
    • Director of Communications and Marketing – Eliza Robinson
    • Manager of Communications – Rashena Franklin
  • Lightroom UK
    • Technical Director – James Roxburgh
    • Assistant Producer – Hope Delicata
    • Head of Licensing – Joe Bartley
    • Head of Marketing – Steph Biddle
  • 59 Studio
    • CTO/ Project Director – Benjamin Pearcy
  • Quince Imaging
    • Project Manager – Erik Morris
    • System Designer – Keith Price
    • System Engineer – Liam O’Hanlon
    • Technical Director – Brendan Leahy
    • Lead Programmer – Ian McClain
    • Projection Engineer – Mark Robillard
    • BIM Manager – Ron Hinesman
    • Video Engineer – Dillon Conroy
    • Screen Fabrication – Generations AV
    • Program Director – Eric Gazzillo
    • Verendus – Custom Structure