Jump to content

Music in space

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NASAastronautCatherine Colemanplays a flute aboard theInternational Space Stationin 2011.

Music in spaceismusicplayed in or broadcast from aspacecraftinouter space.[1][failed verification]The first ever song that was performed in space was a Ukrainian song “Watching the sky...”[2]( “Дивлюсь я на небо” ) sang on 12 August 1962 byPavlo Popovych,cosmonaut from Ukraine at a special request ofSerhiy Korolyov,Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer from Ukraine. According to theSmithsonian Institution,the first musical instruments played in outer space were an 8-noteHohner"Little Lady"harmonicaand a handful of small bells carried by American astronautsWally SchirraandThomas P. StaffordaboardGemini 6A.[3]Upon achieving aspace rendezvousin Earth orbit with their sister shipGemini 7in December 1965, Schirra and Stafford played a rendition of "Jingle Bells"over the radio after jokingly claiming to have seen anunidentified flying objectpiloted bySanta Claus.The instruments had beensmuggledon-board without NASA's knowledge, leadingMission ControldirectorElliot Seeto exclaim "You're too much" to Schirra after the song.[3]The harmonica was donated to the Smithsonian by Schirra in 1967, with his note that it "...plays quite well".[4]

In the 1970s music tape cassettes were brought to the American space stationSkylab,[5]while Soviet cosmonautsAleksandr LaveikinandYuri Romanenkobrought a guitar to the space stationMirin 1987.[1]Musical instruments must be checked for gases they may emit before being taken aboard the confined environment of a space station.[6]As of 2003, instruments that have been aboard theInternational Space Stationinclude a flute, a keyboard, a guitar, a saxophone, and adidgeridoo.[6]

Music in space has been a focal point of public relation events of varioushuman spaceflightprograms.[1]NASAastronautCarl Walzplayed a rendition of theElvis Presleysong "Heartbreak Hotel"aboard the ISS in 2003 which was also recorded and transmitted to Earth.[6]Canadian Space AgencyastronautChris Hadfield,commander ofExpedition 35to theInternational Space Station,recorded amusic videoof the song "Space Oddity"byDavid Bowieaboard the space station. The first music video ever shot in space,[7]the video wentviraland received widespread international media coverage after being posted toYouTube.[8]Bowie himself later called the cover "possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created".[9]Hadfield also recorded his own album titled Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can.[10]

Dongfanghong I

[edit]
See also:Dong Fang Hong I

Dongfanghong I(simplified Chinese:Phương đông hồng nhất hào;traditional Chinese:Phương đông hồng nhất hào;pinyin:Dōngfānghóng Yīhào;lit.'The East is Red 1') was thePeople's Republic of China's first spacesatellite,launched successfully on 24 April 1970 as part of the PRC'sDongfanghongspace satellite program. The satellite carried aradio transmitterwhich broadcast the song of the same name,Dōngfānghóngor "The East Is Red";the broadcast lasted for 20 days while in orbit.

Apollo 17

[edit]
See also:Apollo 17

A few bars of "The Fountain in the Park"were sung on theMoonbyNASAAstronautsHarrison SchmittandEugene Cernanon the 1972Apollo 17mission, the final Apollo moon mission. Schmitt started by singing "I was strolling on the Moon one day..." after which Cernan joined in. Cernan kept with the original "merry month of May", however, while Schmitt sang "December", which was the actual date at the time. Cernan interjected, "No, May!", and Schmitt corrected himself. Schmitt resumed, singing "When much to my surprise, a pair of bonny eyes..." until he could no longer remember the lyrics and began vocalizing the notes instead.[11]Moments later,Capsule CommunicatorRobert A. Parkercut in fromHouston,punninglysaying that "sorry, guys, but todaymaybe December. "[citation needed]

Voyager Golden Record

[edit]
Main article:Contents of the Voyager Golden Record
The music is recorded in the circular grooves of this disc, which was attached to the spacecraft(s)

TheVoyager programprobesVoyager 1andVoyager 2were launched byNASAwith a message aboard — a kind oftime capsule,intended to communicate a story of the world ofhumanson Earth.[12]

This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours.

— PresidentJimmy Carter

The records feature spoken greetings in fifty-nine languages,[13][14]"sounds of Earth",[15]and a 90-minute selection of music from many cultures, including Eastern and Western classics.[16]

Soyuz TM-3 and Didier Marouani

[edit]

On 22 July 1987,Soyuz TM-3was the third crewed spaceflight to visit the Soviet space stationMir.The cosmonauts took a CD-player with them, together with two small speakers and theSpace Operaalbum by French composerDidier Marouani.According to Marouani, the CD, the player and speakers were launched into outer space in October 1987. CosmonautAleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrovconfirmed that he listened to the album during his mission on Mir.[17]

Soyuz TM-7 and Pink Floyd

[edit]

On 21 November 1988, acassette tapeofPink Floyd's liveDelicate Sound of Thunderalbum (minus the cassette box, for weight reasons) was taken into space by the crew of the SovietSoyuz TM-7mission.[18]The launch, atBaikonur Cosmodrome,was attended by the band'sDavid GilmourandNick Mason,who made an audio recording of the event for potential use in a future project.[18]This was claimed by Gilmour to have been the firstrock musicrecording in space.[18]In actuality, various cassettes carried byAl WordenonApollo 15nearly two decades earlier contained recordings from multiple various rock artists.[19]The tape was left on theMirspace station when the mission crew returned to Earth.[18]

Beagle 2and Blur

[edit]

In 2003 the British space organization'sBeagle 2probe was scheduled to play a song from the British rock bandBlur,upon touchdown on the planetMars.[20]It was not known what happened toBeagle 2for 11 years after landing, and it was considered lost. When it was found intact in 2015, however, the possibility was raised thatBeagle 2had successfully played the song on Christmas Day in 2003 upon landing, but failed to transmit back to Earth.[21]The song, also called "Beagle 2", was composed for the project and had been issued as theB-sideof the band's 1999 "No Distance Left to Run"single prior to the launch.

Curiosityand will.i.am

[edit]
Main article:Reach for the Stars (will.i.am song)

American recording artistwill.i.amwrote, produced, and recorded the song "Reach for the Stars"[22](and their instrumental-driven version subtitled "Mars Edition" and "NASA Edition"[23]) in commemoration of the landing of theCuriosityroveron Mars. The song was first released on August 28, 2012, and it became the first song that was successfully broadcast from another planet.[24]

Chris Hadfield'sSpace Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can

[edit]

During his time on the International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield recorded twelve songs. One was a recording of David Bowie's Space Oddity, ten were originals by him, and"Beyond the Terra"was written by him and his son.[25]He released the album asSpace Sessions: Songs from a Tin Canin 2015.

Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster

[edit]
"Starman" prop rocks out to Bowie en route to the Asteroid belt
Main article:Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster

Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster was launched into Earth orbit, then Solar orbit, in February 2018 as part of theFalcon Heavy Test Flight.Thesound systemon board the car was looping David Bowie's songs "Space Oddity"and"Life on Mars?".[26][failed verification]

Project DaVinciand Taylor Swift

[edit]
Main article:1989 (Taylor Swift album)

As a part ofNASA'sElaNa 19initiative, 18 year-old millionaire Erik Finman collaborated with a team of high school students fromCoeur d'Alene, Idaho,and designed aCubeSatnamedProject DaVinci.[27][28]The CubeSat serves as atime capsuleorbiting around the Earth, and contains a collection of videos, music and movies, includingTaylor Swift's 2014 album,1989.The album was uploaded to the satellite, while its Swift-autographed CD was engraved to the satellite's side.[29][30]DaVinciwas launched into space on December 16, 2018, fromMahia, New Zealand.[31]

ISS and Coldplay

[edit]
Main article:Higher Power (Coldplay song)

On 7 May 2021, British rock bandColdplaypremiered their new single "Higher Power"from theInternational Space Stationby having FrenchEuropean Space AgencyastronautThomas Pesquetpreview the song via a branded "extraterrestrial transmission".[32]The album from which the song originates,Music of the Spheres,is a space-themedconcept album.[33]

Danuri

[edit]
Main articles:DanuriandDynamite (BTS song)

To test the experimental system of the “space Internet”,Danuri(Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter) successfully forwarded a number of photos taken, as well as several video files, including,BTS’“Dynamite”from outer space to Earth at Korea'sMinistry of Science and ICT,Korea Aerospace Research Institute(KARI), and theElectronics and Telecommunications Research Institute(ETRI) on 7 November 2022.[34][35]

Hakuto-R

[edit]

Hakuto-Rhouses a payload, that is, a music disc featuring the song ‘SORATO’ by the Japanese rock bandSakanaction.The song was initially released in 2018 as a part of the TeamHakutocampaign for theGoogle Lunar XPRIZE.[36]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abc"Tuned in: music of the Soviet space programme".sciencemuseum.org.uk.RetrievedNovember 4,2016.
  2. ^Anatoly Solovyanenko. I am watching the sky and imagining a thought. Why am I not a falcon? Why can't I fly? Why, God, did you not give me wings?I would leave the earth and fly to the sky "
  3. ^abEdwards, Owen (2005)."The Day Two Astronauts Said They Saw a UFO Wearing a Red Suit".Smithsonian Magazine.The Smithsonian Institution.RetrievedJune 23,2017.
  4. ^"Harmonica, Gemini 6".20 March 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 14 August 2019.Retrieved4 November2016.
  5. ^"Everything You Need to Know About Skylab | Astronotes".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-12-14.Retrieved2016-11-13.
  6. ^abc"Space Station Music".NASA Science News.NASA. September 4, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2011.
  7. ^Davis, Lauren (12 May 2013)."Chris Hadfield sings" Space Oddity "in the first music video in space".Gawker Media.Retrieved29 May2013.
  8. ^Knapp, Alex (13 May 2013)."Astronaut Chris Hadfield Sings David Bowie As He Departs The International Space Station".Forbes.Retrieved29 May2013.
  9. ^Andrew Griffin."David Bowie: How Chris Hadfield's 'Space Oddity' cover from orbit was helped by the 'Starman'".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-06-18.Retrieved2016-10-02.
  10. ^Brown, Molly (2015)."From 'Space Oddity' to 'Songs in a Tin Can': Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield records first album in space".
  11. ^Astronauts Strolling on Moon and Singing(Videotape). NASA. December 1972. Archived fromthe originalon 2016-12-21.Retrieved2018-05-02.
  12. ^"Voyager – Golden Record".NASA.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
  13. ^Sagan, Carl(1994).Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space(1st ed.). New York: Random House.ISBN9780679438410.
  14. ^"Traveller's Tales [Carl Sagan Tribute Series, S01E16]".YouTube.RetrievedFebruary 10,2012.
  15. ^"Voyager – Spacecraft – Golden Record – Sounds of Earth".NASA.RetrievedAugust 17,2008.
  16. ^ozmarecords."Voyager".ozmarecords.Retrieved2018-04-12.
  17. ^Atagong, Felix."Pink Floyd. Still First in Space. NOT!".The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit.Retrieved3 August2023.
  18. ^abcdMiles, Barry; Andy Mabbett (1994).Pink Floyd the visual documentary.London:Omnibus Press.ISBN0711941092.
  19. ^HSA Space Exploration and Aviation Auction Catalog #6000.Heritage Capital Corporation. 1 February 2008.ISBN9781599672274.
  20. ^"Listen to the music that the Beagle 2 probably played on Mars in 2003 - The Verge".theverge. 16 January 2015.RetrievedNovember 4,2016.
  21. ^Vincent, James (16 January 2015)."Listen to the music that the Beagle 2 probably played on Mars in 2003".
  22. ^Reach For the Stars by will.i.am,retrieved2019-11-30
  23. ^Reach for the Stars (Mars Edition) - Single by will.i.am,retrieved2019-11-30
  24. ^Karimi, Faith (August 29, 2012)."Will.i.am premieres song -- from Mars".CNN.RetrievedJanuary 25,2014.
  25. ^"'Songs from a Tin Can': Chris Hadfield releasing album recorded in space ".CTVNews.2015-09-30.Retrieved2024-03-10.
  26. ^"SpaceX Successfully Launches the Falcon Heavy—And Elon Musk's Roadster".WIRED.Retrieved7 February2018.
  27. ^Buhr, Sarah (August 17, 2017)."Teen bitcoin millionaire Erik Finman is launching Taylor Swift's '1989' into space".TechCrunch.Retrieved2020-07-05.
  28. ^Heiney, Anna (December 10, 2018)."ELaNa 19: DaVinci".NASA.RetrievedJuly 5,2020.
  29. ^Hooper, Ben (December 14, 2016)."Idaho teen team's space-bound time capsule includes Taylor Swift album".UPI.Retrieved2020-07-05.
  30. ^Weinberger, Matt (August 17, 2017)."This teenage Bitcoin millionaire high school dropout is sending a signed Taylor Swift CD into space".Business Insider.RetrievedJuly 5,2020.
  31. ^Mahoney, Erin (3 July 2016)."Past ElaNa CubeSat Launches".NASA.RetrievedJuly 5,2020.
  32. ^Speck, Emilee (2021-05-07)."European astronaut Thomas Pesquet premieres Coldplay's new song from space".WKMG.Retrieved2021-10-23.
  33. ^Richardson, Mark (2021-10-18)."Coldplay's 'Music of the Spheres' Review: An Over-the-Top Cosmic Lovefest".Wall Street Journal.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved2021-10-23.
  34. ^"The South Korean probe" Danuri "sent a music video of the BTS group".17 November 2022.
  35. ^우주에서 보내온 BTS 다이너마이트 뮤직비디오ㅣ다누리 우주 인터넷 탑재체,retrieved2022-12-18
  36. ^"Ispace Announces Mission 1 Launch Date".

See also

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Music_in_space&oldid=1213732862"