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NFTs in space! ThankYouX Work hits the stratosphere
NFTs in Space sounds more like a bad movie title than an actual reality. However, thanks to some pioneering artists, digital assets have left our earthly orbit. In addition, some artists like ThankYouX are releasing NFTs to commemorate their artwork heading into space. What happens to NFT artists who send artwork into space?
Why do NFT artists send artwork into space?
Axiom Space, a private space company, tapped street artist turned digital creator ThankYouX to contribute art for their latest mission. ThankYouX, also known as Ryan Wilson, has a distinctive art style that mixes traditional elements with futuristic design. Axiomed contacted ThankYouX after discovering that they have a strong interest in space.
On May 21, ThankYouX’s painting, “Urge for Perfection,” was launched into space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The painting spent about 15 hours on the rocket before docking with the International Space Station. During that time, Urge to Perfection floated around in zero gravity aboard the crew mission. To celebrate the occasion, ThankYoux also released an open edition NFT to commemorate the moment. Additionally, ThankYouX will auction off the painting once it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere.
However, this is not the first time an NFT artist has sent work into space.
What other NFTs went to space?
Micah Johnson is a former Major League Baseball player turned NFT artist/project founder. His 15k PFP project Akutars features a young black astronaut wearing a space helmet. Johnson created the project to represent opportunities and dreams, especially for underrepresented populations.
On July 28, 2021, Johnson made an NFT of a short video titled “Why Not Me” featuring Akutar’s protagonist Aku and a digitized version of a flag carried by Buzz Aldrin in 1969. It was sent to a server on the International Space Station by Nanoracks LLC and Artemis Music Entertainment, giving it the honor of being one of the first NFTs to complete the 125,000 mile orbit around the Earth.
After the voyage, Why Not Me was auctioned off, and the proceeds went to Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. It sold for 18.57 ETH, or about $58,000 at the time.
Image credit: Akutars
Did any other NFTs with Why Not Me go to space?
Artemis Music Entertainment also sent a music NFT into space along with Why Not Me. The digital file featured a rendition of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune performed by Hong Kong-based pianist Wing-Chong Kam. It orbited the Earth for nearly 90 minutes before being sent back to Earth to be minted as an NFT.
However, this feat is only the beginning. Artemis Music Entertainment sent Clair De Lune to test the Artemis Space Network, a commercial platform for art, music and entertainment. This platform will be used to send media to the ISS, the moon, Mars and other interstellar places humans will one day find themselves.
What was the first NFT created in space?
Xin Liu created an NFT series called Atlas that created cartographic images using radio frequencies from retired weather satellites. These images resembled Xerox copies of surveillance images of the Earth’s various mountainous regions. During the COVID-19 quarantine, Liu transformed these signals into an NFT series. In the process, Liu is credited with creating the first NFTs created in space.
Web3 is about innovation. It is therefore not surprising that NFT artists are already looking for ways to expand beyond our earthly domain.
