“COSMOS began during the Viking exploration of Mars, the first long-term mission to the surface of another planet. B. Gentry Lee, the Viking Director of Mission Testing and Data Analysis and I were unhappy with the mass media's tepid depiction of this historic expedition. In late 1976, Lee and I decided to form a production company dedicated to communicating science in an accurate and exciting way. Of several offers tendered to us, that of KCET --to produce a thirteen-part television series on astronomy -- seemed by far the most challenging and the most promising. Soon, KCET was soliciting underwriters, Lee and I were interviewing candidate executive producers and talking to scientists, writers, and artists: the project was underway.” (“Image 1 of Cosmos: An appreciation”, p. 4)



Books:
1984 - The Cold and the Dark
1985 - Comet
1985 - Contact