Monthly Archives: May 2013

Space Arts, Space Music, Space Science

The International Space Orchestra – the documentary

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The International Space Orchestra is described as

the world’s first orchestra of space scientists. Blending space exploration and bassoons; planet-poking and bluegrass-playing spacecraft operators – the International Space Orchestra’s members are individuals drawn from NASA Ames Research Center, SETI (Search for Extra-terrestial Intelligence), Singularity University and the International Space University.

Last September 2012 they premiered their  “Ground Control: An Opera in Space” in a live performance in San Jose. The opera was

written by Blur and Gorillaz frontman DAMON ALBARN with BOBBY WOMACK; MAYWA DENKI and PENGUIN CAFE’s ARTHUR JEFFES. With lyrics by BRUCE STERLING & JASMINA TESANOVIC. Musical director: Two time Grammy-Award winner EVAN PRICE.

The project and it’s goals:

In this tangential reality, your Flight Controller conducts arias and the Payload Officer works a baritone sax, while the Capsule Communicator is on the triangle. Merging science, technology, design and opera – Ground-Control: An opera in Space aims to reach the final frontier! The International Space Orchestra, is an experiential and hybrid research laboratory, where space scientists have been invited to implement, deconstruct, perform, sing, mix, modify, and design musical acts in a control room.

The project’s mission is to introduce the public to the emotional nuances of space science technologies, the people working with them and the challenges and opportunities of an exciting new era of commercial space exploration. Fuelled by Silicon Valley-based commercial space companies such as Virgin Galactic, Space X and Google – the space industry is at one of the most exciting moments in its history – and projects such as near-earth asteroid mining and sending humans to Mars orbit are being discussed as realities for the 2030s.

A documentary about the project will be shown on May 17th at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California: May 17 Event at SETI Institute – The International Space Orchestra Feature Documentary (66min) – SETI Institute

A brief clip from the film:

Space Policy, Space Settlement

Buzz Aldrin on The Space Show

Buzz Aldrin was on The Space Show on Monday and discussed his Unified Space Vision, Mars settlement and his  book, Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration, which he just released:  Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Monday, 5-13-13 | Thespaceshow’s Blog.

General

Carnival of Space #301 – Venus Transit

The Venus Transit blog hosts the latest Carnival of space.

Amateur/Student Satellite

Video: Lowering the cost of space experiments with Cubesats

Kentucky Space blog points to an interesting video from Robert Scoble about Cubesat projects at SRI International

this video from the labs at SRI International – where SIRI, Nuance, HDTV, the Mouse, and many other things got their start – explains how Cubesats are dramatically lowering the costs of space exploration.

Video: Cubesats “dramatically lowering the cost of experimentation” – KentuckySpace.com

http://youtu.be/KM7I-hOon28

Space Policy

Space policy roundup – May.13.13

Wayne Hale asks for some input on what he should say when he appears before the Senate Science and Space Subcommittee on Thursday morning. The title of the hearing is Partnerships to Advance the Business of Space:

“The hearing will examine the growth of the space industry, including the potential economic and scientific benefits of private sector space transportation, as well as the federal and private roles in advancing technology development, ensuring mission safety, and fostering exploration.”

He asks for input on what he should tell the committee: Breaking a Rule – Wayne Hale’s Blog.

The witnesses include:

  • Mr. N. Wayne Hale Jr.
    Director of Human Spaceflight, Special Aerospace Services
    NASA Flight Director & Program Manager (ret.)
  • Ms. Patti Grace Smith
    Aerospace Consultant/Advisor
    Patti Grace Smith Consulting, L.L.C.
  • Captain Michael Lopez-Alegria USN (ret.)
    President
    Commercial Spaceflight Federation
  • Dr. Steven H. Collicott
    Professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
    College of Engineering, Purdue University

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Jeff Foust reviews the recent Humans-2-Mars conference in which Charles Bolden and others talked not just about Mars but about policy topics such as whether asteroid missions come first: Asteroids: on the way to Mars, or just in the way?- The Space Review.

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Res Communis posts the latest collection of space and aviation related law, regulation and policy links: Library: A Round-up of Reading