Week 9: Space + Art

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 The interplay between art and space is an exciting topic for me. Throughout this week, I learned much about our "cosmic ocean" and the explorations humanity has undertaken throughout history (Vesna). What interested me the most is how we transitioned from an intense space race between the USA and USSR during the Cold War to the collaborative efforts exemplified by the international space station. 

What kicked off the space race between the two countries was the launch of Sputnik in 1957. Sputnik was a "...shiny steel sphere of about 23 in across with four antennas trailing behind it" and sent "meaningless signals back to earth" (Vesna). Yet, this had a huge effect on society during that time creating a sense of anxiety amongst Americans. However, as time progressed, we have found ways to work together creating a more diverse and intelligent understanding of space together. 


Sputnik 1: The First Artificial Earth Satellite | Anderson Design Group

Furthermore, on July 15, 1975 "Apollo-Soyuz mission brought together two former spaceflight rivals: the United States and the Soviet Union" (Swopes). In this mission, an American spacecraft and Soviet spacecraft docked together in orbit, symbolizing a new era of collaboration. Apollo-Soyuz was the first international space expedition. During this 44-hour docking phase, the crew conducted many different experiments, intending to study the effects of microgravity and the performance of docking systems (Swopes). 


The end of the Cold War in 1993 opened doors for the future of space exploration. In essence, "competition was replaced by a spirit of cooperation" leading America to invite Russia into the international space station program (The Story of the ISS). The ISS has become a symbol of what humanity can achieve through collaboration. It proves that if we can look past our differences and work together great things can happen. 


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Works Cited 

History and timeline of the ISS. ISS National Laboratory. (n.d.). https://www.issnationallab.org/about/iss-timeline/ 

Sputnik 1: The First Artificial Earth Satellite. Anderson Design Group. (n.d.). https://www.andersondesigngroupstore.com/a/collections/space-travel/sputnik-1-the-first-artificial-earth-satellite/9194512903 

Swopes, B. (2023, July 17). This Day in Aviation. https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/apollo-soyuz-test-project/

The story of the ISS. (n.d.). https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/projects-and-missions/iss/the-story-of-the-iss#:~:text=Now%20that%20the%20Cold%20War,the%20international%20space%20station%20programme. 

YouTube. (2018, May 21). Overview of Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) scientific experiments (archival film). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc_ltJk58rQ

Vesna, Victoria. "Space Intro" Lecture. Week 9

Vesna, Victoria. "8 Space Part 2" Lecture. Week 9



Comments

  1. Bao Ngoc Lam VoJune 2, 2024 at 9:57 PM

    Hi Mallory! I really enjoyed reading your blog. I love that you took a more historical approach and discussed more of the history behind the space race. I find it kind of funny (or ironic?) that the space race started with a small little sphere which had people in mass panic and hysteria. I guess that's just what happens when something novel is introduced to society. We fear the unknown. I also appreciate you bringing up the Apollo-Soyuz mission because I don't remember learning about that in lectures (I probably zoned out) but it's really comforting to know that our country has the capacity to collaborate with "rivals" for the greater good of humanity. Space exploration is still so new and it would help a lot if we collaborated with other countries to explore it.

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  2. Chris Nguyen's BlogJune 2, 2024 at 11:26 PM

    Good job on your blog Mallory! I did my blog on how NASA has incorporated art into their space research. I find it fascinating how NASA has been able to use art as a way to educate people on the topic of space research. I think this is a great idea, as many people do not know much about space because it is widely unknown. I think art has the ability to simplify the theme of space for everyday people, because of the appeal of art and space. The artwork of the Sputnik is great, and encapsulates the huge effect it had on society at the time. Good work Mallory.

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