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.

The first phase of artists participating in this project includes internationally renowned conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth, globally acclaimed bio-artist Eduardo Kac known for works such as "Fluorescent Rabbits" and space art, Israeli artist Haim Steinbach, who has had solo exhibitions at MoMA, Chinese artist Cao Fei active in the international art scene, Miri Park, a Korean artist focusing on geopolitical issues, aerospace engineer and space artist Liu Xin, technology artist Zhang Wenchao, encryption art specialist Liu Jiaying, artist duo Geng Xue + Wang Jiyu, young artists Ge Yulu, Yue Luping, Gao Zhenpeng, Miao Ying, and many more. Additionally, there is eighth-grade middle school student Cao Zheng, who submitted an independent proposal...(More participants will be announced as the project progresses). They will utilize this dedicated art satellite in the unique environment of outer space, within a legal space transcending national borders, to create new space art distinct from traditional forms.

▲ Real Shot of the "SCA-1" Art Satellite, 2023, © Xu Bing Studio.

Why study space art? Because the theme of "space" connects different eras and disciplines, and space art effectively reflects the emergence of the latest technology in each era and its profound impact on human societal cognition. Early science fiction works and space paintings have ignited public enthusiasm for space exploration, indirectly propelling the realization of the US-Soviet space race and the Apollo program. In turn, various space exploration initiatives have shaped and influenced the deepening of cultural, artistic, and philosophical considerations. Since the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into outer space in 1957, space narratives have been primarily characterized by competition. The establishment of national space agencies worldwide has led to rapid advancements in space technology. However, a noteworthy fact is that space art has not kept pace with the development of space technology; it has lagged behind the Kármán Line. Upon reviewing the "history of space art" within the more than a hundred years since the advent of rocket technology, we find that due to various barriers such as political and technological constraints, there has been limited utilization of space technology for the creation of space art on a global scale.

▲  "Short History of Space Art" Video, © Xu Bing Studio.

The pursuit of beneficial innovation and fair competition is the driving force behind technological development. In the current era of rapid space resource development, how should we perceive the new relationship between art and technology? With the development of commercial space and space tourism, the irreversible reality of climate change, and geopolitical turbulence, the human desire to become a multi-planetary species is becoming increasingly strong. There is reason to believe that in the foreseeable future, "space art" could serve as a foothold, potentially becoming a stepping stone for the development of future societies and cultures. It may also serve as a pioneering experiment in exploring the possibilities of future art.