SpaceX astronaut becomes first musician to perform a solo recital in space

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SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission has orchestrated the first-ever violin performance beyond Earth's atmosphere.

 

On September 13, 2024, astronaut Sarah Gillis, a classically trained violinist, took one small step for musicians and one giant leap for musical kind. Floating aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft, Gillis performed John Williams’ Rey’s Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, proving that the force of music is strong even in zero gravity.

 

Dubbed Harmony of Resilience, the performance featured Gillis’s space-based violin solo accompanied by orchestras from around the globe, all playing in perfect harmony from their earthbound studios, creating a symphony that truly spans the stars.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Polaris (@polarisprogram)

 

This interstellar concert was a collaborative effort with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and El Sistema USA, aiming to inspire young minds and showcase the boundless potential and resilience of children everywhere. The performance serves as a reminder that music has the power to unite and uplift, even in the vastness of space.

 

The Polaris Dawn mission, helmed by Jared Isaacman, was a five-day journey that pushed the boundaries of human spaceflight, testing new EVA suits and conducting the first commercial spacewalk. The mission also set a new altitude record for crewed spaceflight since NASA’s Apollo era, soaring to an impressive 875 miles above Earth’s surface.

 

From the first notes played in orbit to future concerts on distant planets, the universal language of music is set to become truly universal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Polaris (@polarisprogram)

 

 

• https://www.thestrad.com/news/video-first-violin-performance-in-space/18605.article 
• https://www.space.com/polaris-dawn-music-video-harmony-of-reslience 
• https://nypost.com/2024/09/15/us-news/historic-polaris-dawn-mission-notches-yet-another-heavenly-first-violin-concerto/ 
• https://www.sciencealert.com/history-making-spacex-mission-ends-with-a-splash-after-spacewalks 

 

 

Images: Polaris Program