Launching an artist-astronaut mission and bending horizons in astronautics

Space Education & Outreach Symposium (E1) Space Culture: Public Engagement in Space through Culture (9)

Sarah Jane Pell

Bending Horizons is launched as an artist-astronaut Mission: an adapted business model designed to disrupt space exploration roadmaps. The metrics for success are driven by mission achievement. The purpose of the model is to execute a range of inter-related investigative, validation and review processes to spark a paradigmatic shift in artist access to space for the greater good and the future of humanity. The priority is to set precedence for arts-led research in-situ in space, and initiate opportunities for artist access to prerequisite spaceflight analogue and simulation training to challenge long-held views about the kinds of architecture that can be innovated upon. The focus on discovery serves to influence legal, policy and procurement frameworks influencing stakeholders, and also sector mission cost/budget justifications. Implementing the Bending Horizons vision includes the strategic deployment, publication and demonstration of a wide range of validation benchmarks, technology readiness levels, and inspirational artefacts. There are multiple layers of direct audience/customers and indirect beneficiaries in the inter- secting space and culture ecosystem. Identifying these beneficiaries and the potential for influence across the range of mission architectures will lead to the long-term support of projects, and on-going iterative development. For independent artist/social entrepreneurs, this model supplements space and defence pri- orities, and compliments cultural policies, to respond to the complexity of value propositions related to the multiplicity of factors influencing market fit and the diversity of cultural, commercial, and government stakeholders. The broad outcomes of this project will be the first worldwide articulation on performing astronautics. The significance is the opportunity to critique, and entice extreme risk-taking, and also develop new experimental ways that would make it possible for the human experience of discovery to be examined through artistic engagement, and developed for the benefit of the vision for a better future for humanity.

This paper (IAC-17,E1,9,x36360) was presented at the 68th IAC in Adelaide, AU 2017. Space Education and outreach Symposium (E1) Space Culture – Public Engagement in Space through Culture (9).

Copyright 2017 by Sarah Jane Pell. All rights reserved.

Astronaut 2.0: Connecting the physical and social perceptions on human identity, form and function in space to define the parameters of space faring individuals.

Human Spaceflight (B3) Global Technical Session (9-GTS)

Sara Langston & Sarah Jane Pell

This paper and presentation follows up on discussions started by the authors in their IAC 2014 paper: “What is in a name? Perceived identity, classification, philosophy, and implied duty of the `astronaut'.” Building on this foundation we continue the conversation beyond the origins and implications of defining an `astronaut' and further lead the discussion on questions, perspectives and even controversies encompassing the prospective space roles for the new commercial space age. The significance of this discussion, as demonstrated in our previous research, is that public and political conceptions and perceptions of what identities a person as an `astronaut' both informs and impacts human communications, societal expectations and actions in regard to that identity. Specifically, through an original and creative presentation we will connect the dots and highlight the intricate ecosystem of relevant physical, social and political questions and factors with regard to an `astronaut's' identity and provide a comprehensive framework of the actors, approaches, linguistics and implications involved. These issues may include: 1) Distinguishing nongovernmental from governmental astronauts, commercial crew from spaceflight participants, and permanent versus transitory actors in space. 2) Distinguishing human astronauts from nonhumans - such as robotic envoys, artificial intelligence, other animals, and potential “Chewbacca's” (non-terrestrial space farers); distinguishing the human astronaut from technological artifacts (spacesuit/spacecraft). 3) Evaluating notions of `trans-humanism' for spaceflight: adapting or enhancing humans for space - the range of medical implications here can range from minimal physiological intervention to science fiction. 4) Identifying the moral values and policy frameworks triggered by these actual/prospective human space activities. The ultimate objective of this paper and presentation is to create an open space for dialogue and to foster an informed and multidisciplinary conversation on humanity's identity, form and function in space, today and in the future.

This paper (IAC-17-B3.9-GTS.2,x38428) was presented at the 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Adelaide, Australia 24-28 September 2017. Human Spaceflight Global Technical Session

Copyright ©2017 by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). All rights reserved.

This work is part of the Performing Astronautics project assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

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