On February 3, 2024, at 11:06 a.m., the first Chinese art satellite, "SCA-1" (The first satellite of the Star Chain of Arts Project), was successfully launched into orbit near the sea area of Yangjiang, Guangdong, using the Long March 3B carrier rocket. The satellite's solar panels deployed normally, and the initial telemetry is normal. Among the thousands of satellites now orbiting above us, including scientific, meteorological, communication, and military satellites, there was a missing category - the "art satellite."
▲Video footage of the launch of the art satellite "SCA-1," 2024, © Xu Bing Studio.
"SCA-1," led by artist Xu Bing, is the first satellite of the " Star Chain of Art Project." Adhering to the principles of participation and sharing, Xu Bing has defined the concept of this satellite as follows: "By inviting artists from China and abroad to participate in the 'Xu Bing Art Satellite Creative Residency Project,' sharing the rights to use this satellite, and creating their own works. The attempt is to intertwine space technology with contemporary art, extending our cognitive reach into a broader space, collectively exploring this highly futuristic domain."
▲ "SCA-1" Art Satellite at Work, 2023, © Xu Bing Studio.
The "Xu Bing Art Satellite Creative Residency Project" aims to invite (and solicit) artists and professionals with a cosmic perspective and outstanding thinking abilities, providing them with an artistic creation platform beyond the Karman Line. The project's pursuit is to extend perspectives into outer space through art, with the aim of looking back at Earth from a unique vantage point, seeking new and effective philosophical views or methods to address issues on Earth, and providing predictions and experiments for artistic creations of humanity or future interstellar races. The project is organized and implemented by Xu Bing Studio in collaboration with Beijing Wanhu Chuangshi Cultural Media Co., Ltd., and is technically supported by Beijing Xingyilianxin Technology Co., Ltd., and Chengdu Guoxing Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd.
The satellite's structure includes a display screen facing the starry sea and a selfie camera. Through ground control stations, various electronic information such as videos and images can be uploaded to the satellite. The onboard selfie camera captures photos or images of the satellite in the space environment. The satellite is equipped with AI programs, onboard computers, and other functions, enabling interaction with artists or recording their entire creative process in space.
▲ Installation Diagram of the "SCA-1" Art Satellite, 2023, © Xu Bing Studio.
We all know that the aerospace industry has high entry barriers, making it challenging for the art world to access space resources and utilize space technology for artistic creation. However, this phenomenon has seen a change in the "New Space Era" following the emergence of private space technology companies. This is one of the reasons why the "Xu Bing Art Satellite Creative Residency Project" has come into existence. We aim to share accessible space resources with more artists, especially young artists and individuals from various fields outside the art industry. By reducing entry barriers, gathering collective wisdom, we hope to accelerate the development of space art initiatives.
▲ Model Diagram of the "SCA-1" Art Satellite, 2023, © Xu Bing Studio.
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