In a not-too-distant future, the first American astronaut prepares to set foot on Mars, with the world watching live on television. However, a man in the air force, who bears a resemblance to the astronaut, is recruited as a double and told that the astronaut died on Mars from unknown causes. NASA keeps this a secret to maintain funding and uncover the cause of death, threatening the double with an unspoken threat. As the double's home life becomes increasingly difficult due to the deception, NASA eventually fakes his death. But when Russia announces their own Mars mission, a more scrupulous NASA official decides to reveal the truth to the President, feeling that continued silence is tantamount to murder.
The Astronaut
A desperate attempt to revitalize a struggling space program results in the replacement of a deceased astronaut with a lookalike, unleashing a series of far-reaching consequences.
