PUERTA SOLAR – Museo Aero Solar Primaria Puerta Abierta

¿Qué es la democracia?

¿Cómo se acerca este concepto tan valioso y complejo a niños y niñas de 6 a 12 años ?

Desde las aulas empezamos a observar que escucharnos, mirarnos, entendernos, llegar a acuerdos, saber manifestar desacuerdos, pensar de a muchos/as soluciones a conflictos, aprender a vivir con otros y otras, construir en el día a día la idea de comunidad, aprender a elegir, son algunas de las acciones que hacen referencia a democratizar la vida escolar.

Para hacer visible los 40 años de Democracia ininterrumpida Argentina y todas estas acciones que democratizan la vida en la escuela, nos sumergimos  en un proyecto en el que participó toda nuestra comunidad escolar: un Museo Aerosolar.

Con el asesoramiento de Joaquin Ezcurra y Maxi Laina de la comunidad Aerocene y Carlos Almeida de la UNSAM comenzamos un proceso proyectual  que avanzaba con simples consignas y las ganas de hacer de quien se iba involucrando.

El proyecto tuvo la siguiente crónica pensada y gestionada desde la escuela:

LA CASA

Cada familia juntó en casa 5 bolsas “tipo camiseta”. Las corto como se indicó en un modelo.

LAS ASAMBLEAS

Durante el mes de octubre, en el marco de nuestras asambleas de grado, grupos de madres, padres niños, niñas y docentes unían las bolsas que trajeron  formando tiras del largo de la mesa de trabajo 2,4m.

Una vez armada la tira con marcadores indelebles dibujaban y escribían sobre la democracia Argentina.

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Todas las asambleas fueron el puntapié para iniciar la reflexión acerca de la democracia como forma de vida, la importancia de trabajar y sostener nuestra democracia.

En todos estos espacios se vivía y respiraba un ambiente de festejo y potencia colectiva.

Las producciones las fuimos colgando en perchas y hasta el momento nuestro museo parecía una tintorería de largos vestidos plásticos.

LA COMISIÓN

Una comisión de madres y padres tomaron estos “vestidos plásticos” y los unieron para formar paños más amplios de 3×3 o 6×3 o 9×3. En este proceso se sumaron también por deseo propio, tías y abuelas de los niños y niñas.

Era increíble ver la cantidad de material que se iba logrando ensamblar hasta el momento, era tanto que decidimos pasar de un museo de 6x18mts. a un museo de 9 x 27 mts. Sí un paño de  243 m2

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EL ATELIER

Con los niños y niñas del primer ciclo tomamos algún paño armado para hacer experimentos lúdicos. ¿Cómo sostener, cuidar e inflar esta membrana plástica tan frágil?. Cada vez que nos metimos adentro surgió la temática de la Democracia, el vuelo y el medio ambiente.

Los niños y niñas vuelven a sentir que esa membrana había sido construida colectivamente entre familias. 

Los conceptos ya no eran para nada abstractos, toman cuerpo y surgen relatos donde la democracia, los derechos y la justicia son los personajes principales.
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Con los grupos del 2do. ciclo trabajamos con maquetas sobre el plegado. Con papel verificamos las proporciones y  la forma de plegar para alcanzar el tetraedro que define a nuestro museo.

EL ENSAMBLE

Junto a Carlos Almeida  y la comisión de padres, madres y equipo profesional, nos reunimos el sábado 25 de noviembre a terminar de ensamblar, plegar y  levantar nuestro Museo.

Tuvimos que medir una y otra vez para lograr las proporciones necesarias: 9m x 27m.

Mientras unimos todo el material decidimos poner una ventana al cielo de 9 x 1.20 metros. Plegamos dando pasos coordinados entre los que sostenían cada lado de la superficie y llegó el momento de darle aire. Había viento, bastante, pero no lo suficiente para impedir ver cómo el aire se volvía museo.

Carlos llegó a atar hilos en los vértices, desde ellos tratábamos de acompañar las direcciones que nos indicaba el viento. Fue un sábado largo, colaborativo y emocionante.

Fue un sábado largo, colaborativo y emocionante.

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EL NOMBRE

Para nombrar a este proyecto colectivo convocamos nuevamente a toda la comunidad. Cada familia propuso un nombre.

De todos los nombres propuestos se votaron tres finalistas entre la comisión  de madres y padres y los  directivos de la escuela.

Luego se colocó una urna a la entrada de la escuela para que cada familia vote.

Los nombres propuestos fueron :

  • Puertasolar
  • Aires de democracia
  • Globo de la democracia

APERTURA DEL MUSEO

El 7 de diciembre realizamos la apertura de nuestro museo Aerosolar que por votación se llamó PUERTA SOLAR.

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Ahora sí, un museo lleno de aire reúne la igualdad, la memoria, la justicia, la solidaridad, la diversidad, la libertad de poder elegir, la escucha, el respeto. Estas palabras tan potentes y significativas que no existen solas, en estado puro. Se interrelacionaron en un proyecto, en pasillos, en asambleas, en charlas en recreo, en reuniones con docentes, voces singulares y voces colectivas.

Fueron creciendo con cada soplo de aire, no de golpe.

Fueron  creciendo de a muchos y muchas.

Fueron  creciendo en comunidad.

Hasta crear el globo de la democracia, una “Puerta Solar” que hizo visible y habitable la democracia escolar en Primaria Puerta Abierta.

Un proyecto donde
TODOS FUIMOS Y NOS SENTIMOS PARTE DE UN TODO

Texto Paola Salaberri, Veronica Weisberg y Ana Williams


Video1 Eugenia Serrano
Video2 Gonzalo Ramón

Agradecimientos

Estudio Tomás Saraceno

Comunidad Aeroceno

Joaquín Ezcurra y Maxi Laina

Carlos Almeida

 

Primaria Puerta Abierta

Trixie Levy

Patri Gutman

Paula Schurman

Verónica Weisberg

Ana Williams

Vicky Chillado

Paola Salaberri

Giselle Bliman

Ma. Eugenia Martinez

Diego Divenosa

Carla Mier Torre

Equipo de maestros y maestras

 

Familias que se sumaron

Carolina, mamá de Haku D’Ovidio

Eugenia y Fernando, mamá y papá de Iván Molina

Julia, mamá de Nino Levacov Vilhena

Laura, mamá de Sofi y Santi Bello

Laura, mamá de Olivia Sosa Lucía, mamá de Nico Bustos

Moira, mamá de Rochi Sandor

Karina, mamá de Lorenzo Marin Muchevicz Paula y Gonzalo, mamá y papá de Juli Ramón

Romina, mamá de Vicente Bueno

Patricia, mamá de Oliverio y Fidel Torrella Casares

Cecilia, mamá de Vera Rosenberg

Carla, mamá de Ana Luz Ardalla Baglivo Luisina, mamá de Jero y Emilia Freytes Mariana, mamá de Toto y Lulo Aimaretti

Sabrina, mamá de Miranda y León

Giselle, mamá de Liber y Teo Cura Suaya

Lourdes, mamá de Felipe Moreno

Andrés y Nadia, mamá y papá de Teo Virzi

Viviana, mamá de Ochi y Eloi Arrués

María Clara, mamá de Pepi Mosquera Fernández

Carolina, mamá de Nika DAgostino Lital, mamá de Ramiro Nicodemo

Cecilia, mamá de Ciro Marchese

Bárbara, mamá de Guadalupe Ehmke

Natalia, mamá de Simona Camilleri

Eugenia, mamá de Balta, Clemen y Jero Sosa Fernanda, mamá de Dante y Milo Szulman Iván y Luciana, papá y mamá de Santiago Lemesoff

Marta Antonio, abuela de Ana Luz

 

Agradecemos a otras abuelas y tías que participaron y a toda la comunidad de Puerta Abierta que acompañó en las asambleas y la recolección de bolsas y especialmente a todos los maestros y maestras que hicieron posible este proyecto.

Museo Aero Solar Chiang Rai – Thailand Biennale

In Chiang Rai, a city known for its cultural and historical richness, the Museo Aero Solar project, conceived by Tomás Saraceno and Alberto Pesavento in 2007, is experiencing a new chapter. Recently, the community of Chiang Rai came together to create a new Museo Aero Solar using 5,000 repurposed plastic bags collected in a campaign, each bag carrying its own story and being saved from environmental harm. This project, embodying collaborative creativity and environmental consciousness, resulted in a unique aerosolar sculpture.

A diverse group, including Imm, Ice, Chris, Lena, Pan, Jude, Peam, Tomás and Joaquin, played a pivotal role in this initiative. They aimed to build an aerostatic flying sculpture that also serves as a museum, using recycled plastic bags as their primary material. Their effort signifies a transformation of pollutants into symbols of hope.

The plastic bag collection campaign led by Jude, Imm, and Ice in Chiang Rai was a significant part of the project. Several community groups actively participated, turning places that once saw these bags as litter into collection points. The campaign gathered over 10,000 recycled bags, highlighting the community’s effort to reduce plastic usage in daily life.

 

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Thanks to all the institutions individuals that  who helped with the desquite of massive plastic bag collection campaign! Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Rai Vocational College, Chiang Rai Municipality School 5, Chiang Rai Provincial Administrative Organization School, Singhaklai House, Bedtime Hostel, and Lofi Cafe

On Saturday December 2nd, the community reconvened for a canvas drawing workshop at the Old City Hall’s lawn, infused with a renewed spirit of creativity. More students from Chiang Rai, together with whole families and friends spent the whole day drawing under the shadow, sheltered from Chaing Rai’s sunny weather. This was not just a gathering, but a celebration of expression, where thoughts, art, feelings, and messages were intricately woven onto the Museo Aero Solar canvas. It became a platform where artistic experience was secondary to enthusiasm, allowing everyone to contribute their unique perspectives.



On Monday December 4th, Thailand’s National Environment Day we launched the Museo Aero Solar Chiang Rai’s with it’s first inflation and inaugural flight at the Old City Hall. With just the right weather, everyone was able to witness the collective creation ascend, symbolizing our hopes and dreams, inviting everyone to use less plastic in our daily lives, for more sustainable future(s).

The project was invited to participate at the Chiang Rai Art Biennale, where Museo Aero Solar will be exhibited alongside diverse artworks that explore themes of history, culture, and the natural world. Guided by the artistic vision of directors like Rirkrit Tiravanija and curated by experts such as Angkrit Ajchariyasophon, the Biennale serves as a global canvas, stretching from the banks of the Mekong to the depths of the Amazon.

Aerocene at Understanding Risk 2022

In late november the Aerocene community was invited to fly aerosolar at the Understading Risk global forum, in Florianópolis, Brazil. Understading Risk is a global community of experts and practitioners with interest in “disastrology”, the field which studies disasters from all points of view and establishes guidelines for their management.
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Although the weather did not help, the Aerocene team managed to get an Aerocene sculpture airborne to the admiration of forum attendants. But soon, the clouds closed in again forcing to quickly deflate the sculpture and seek shelter from the adverse meteorology.
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The states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina have been affected by heavy rains in the last week. Disaster preparedness allows governments and humanitarian institutions to build resilience, giving priority to those most at need. As the climate emergency unfolds, the need for #UnderstandingRisk will be more and more dire.

“Fly with Pacha—into the Aerocene” premieres in Argentina at CCK

On Saturday August 5th, the documentary film by Maxi Laina and Tomás Saraceno “Fly with Pacha—into the Aerocene” was premiered in Argentina. We were so thrilled to see the theater hall completely full and to have shared this special event with all of you!!! After the screening, the Aerocene community hosted a panel discussion with representatives from the Indigenous Communities, Verónica Chávez y Erika Cañari from Salinas Grandes, philosopher Maristella Svampa and environmental lawyer Enrique Viale. We would also like to offer our thanks to Claudia Aboaf for hosting the evening.



Saturday’s screening closed a week during which more than sixty communities of native peoples toured the provinces of the country, culminating with the arrival of the Third Malón de la Paz (Peace March) in Buenos Aires. They have demonstrated peacefully, meeting with legislators and different human rights representatives to make their struggle visible.



Currently in Argentina, the indigenous communities have been manifesting day and night for over a week in front of the tribunals on the central plaza in Buenos Aires, bravely resisting the repressive constitutional reforms that threaten their livelihoods. These communities continue to occupy the main squares in Buenos Aires, but unfortunately due to the government’s refusal to hear their voices, this struggle continues without resolution. 



Fly with Pacha—into the Aerocene, portrays the long-standing relationship between many ever-growing communities across multiple continents, documenting the ongoing collaboration between Aerocene and the Indigenous Communities of of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc, in Jujuy, Northern Argentina, who are fighting to protect their land against the rapid corporate extraction of lithium from their salt plains, driven by the demand for batteries, which is depleting water resources in the region and contaminating the Earth. 



“A message, a film, a journey around the sun with Pachamama, a space-time towards eras of complementarities.”

A huge thank you to everyone who joined on Saturday for the premiere of at the CC Kirchner!

Aerocene en Fête – Hangar Y

On Friday July 14th, the Aerocene Community gathered in Hangar Y @hangar_y_, southwest of Paris, for “Aerocene en Fête”, a unique collaborative and performative experience. Hangar Y is the world’s first airship hangar, originally built in 1879. A historical site were many dreams of lighter than air transportation were born almost a century ago, Hangar Y was the background for Aerocene solar sculpture flights.

Aerocene Community members Sasha Engelman and Maxi Laina joined the encounter traveling by train from London and Berlin respectively. Together with Ewen Chardronnet and Cedric Carles, they piloted solar sculptures inviting the general public and curious curious passers-by to become aerosolar pilots themselves.

During the exhibition, visitors were able to watch Aerocene collective’s most recent audiovisual work, “Fly with Pacha, Into the Aerocene” (2017-ongoing, directed by Maxi Laina and Tomás Saraceno).

The surrounding park was explored in a solar parade guided by Paleoenergie and accompanied with solar music beats by Solar Sound System. Thibaut Piel set a vintage photo booth of guests reading the Aerocene Newspaper.

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The day ended with a conversation with Maxi Laina, Sasha Engelman, Cedric Carles and Ewen Chardronnet. The themes were as urgent as inspiring: lithium extraction in Argentina and the threats for local communities’ access to water, the Open Weather project and open source measurements of air pollution on the eve of the +1.5C threshold, the history of low-carbon flights and the environmental impact of the rocket industry.

Thanks to everyone who came together for this fantastic encounter of memories, dreams and hopes! Let’s keep envisioning a renewed call for planetary solidarity and mutual care.

The Aerocene community met together in collaboration with ART2M, Makery, Atelier21 and Hangar Y.

With support from Mondes Nouveaux

Ph 📸: Malo Chardronnet and Carine LM

COMUNITARIA – Aerocene in Tre Archi

We’d like to share the story of COMUNITARIA, and independ event organized by the Italian Aeroce Community, leaded by Lorenzo Malloni @malloni.lorenzo, and On the Road Cooperative, which works in the area since 1994 protecting and promoting the human and civil rights of women, men, children and transgender people.

 

Thanks to the energy of italian architect Lorenzo Malloni -representing the Aerocene Italian community- the neighborhood of Lido Tre Archi in Fermo became a new hub for the international Aerocene collective.

The shared journey begun with an Aerosolar Sculpture Construction workshop, on which participants built an ultralight inflatable aerostatic balloon capable of flying using only solar radiation, and sewn following a geometric double-tetrahedron pattern to achieve its final form. The workshop took place on June 29 and 30, 2023, with the participation of five neighborhood community members. Participants from the activities recalled:


“..We had the opportunity to sew together not only an inflatable aerostatic balloon, but also our laughter, our words, our stories, which joined each other with scissors, needle and thread, to get to know each other and recognise each other as a community. The sculptures we collectively created were made to fly thanks to the teamwork of the skillful hands of young and old…”

After completing the construction phase, the participants were guided through a training process on how to fly the Aerosolar sculpture. The result of this interweaving made its debut during the event “ComunitAria – Aerocene in Tre Archi”, organised as part of the FAMI AGIRE di comunità Project at the Social Center Luigi Salvatori, San Tommaso Tre Archi, Fermo. After the event some of the newly become Aerosolar Pilots shared their impressions:

“…Watching the aerosolar sculptures fly was a breathtaking thrill! Heartfelt thanks go to Lorenzo Malloni @malloni.lorenzo for this opportunity, which he followed with heart and precision, conveying immense passion and professionalism, and for making the Lido Tre Archi neighbourhood an important hub for the Italian @aerocene community…”

Thanks to the Workshop participants: Meryem, Saida, Ousman, Happiness, Peace, Rajni, Favour, Edda, Maria, Ivana, Imran, Zohra, Palak, Alisa, Elvira, Ruben, Mouna; who patiently and committedly put themselves on the line, creating a wonderful work, and to Sint, Oltrelacoltre, ldgu and Ricky Antolini for colouring the afternoon with music and making people dance.

@ontheroadcoop
📸 Ph > Alessio Beato @alessiobeato

ANNOUNCEMENT

AEROCENE

A community, a movement,
a sculpture, an era for all

We would like to invite you to participate in Aerocene’s live-life weather dependent launch near Paris, France, in Maintenon, on April, 5th!

For a more just world, Aerocene will on this occasion attempt 30 new world records for the most sustainable flight in human history,  carrying the message  “Water and Life are worth more than Lithium”, written with the Communities of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc. 

In January 2020, this message, aligned with an ecosocial energy transition from and for the peoples of the South,  floated over the Salinas Grandes in Jujuy, Argentina carried by Aerocene Pacha. This historical Free Human Flight covered 667.85 metres and lasted 16 minutes, while inaugurating the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) category of Solar Ballooning. 

The forthcoming flight will be attempted with a new, much larger sculpture of  7000m3 of air, more than double of Aerocene Pacha’s 3000m3, in order to carry the message and movement for ecosocial justice further, higher, and longer, free from fossil fuels! 

Today, humanity’s dream of flight has become a nightmare. There are 1.3 million people in the air at any given time, releasing over 1 billion tons of CO2 annually, as the interests of capitalist systems continue to obscure an imaginary that shouldn’t be claimed by any bomb, missile, flag or billionaire. In addition to technological change, the decarbonization of the air and a just energy transition also demand significant behavioural change. This is -truly- not rocket science!!

The energy transition is having an unequal impact in the world, as the decarbonization of privileged people in the North is relying on a new phase of neo-colonial extractivism in the South, affecting human and non-human lives. In this context, Aerocene’s flight brings urgent messages from the global South to the global North, elevating only with the heat of the sun, carried by the currents of the wind and with no propellers, no combustion, no burning, no runways, no pipelines, no noise, no helium, no solar panels or lithium/batteries!

A form of flying for humans that used to be unthinkable is now possible. A metaphor of living, creating and relating otherwise with respect, care and dignity for the entangled and interconnected relations that grant life on Earth. In the context of the environmental crisis, the ongoing need to stop war-s, and the perpetuation of injustice, we will fly with Aerocene pilot Lea Zeberli, carrying messages of hope for peace now, as far as the sun and the winds will allow. 

We hope you will join us!

Our very best,

Aerocene

A community, a movement, a sculpture, an era for all.

BRIEF

Date/Time/Location:

Wednesday April 5th, 10am, weather/climate dependent.

The location follows the wind:  around Maintenon, France.

Please get in touch through +491705562277 if you need help with directions!

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Messages carried by Aerocene: “Water & Life are worth more than Lithium” was written by the Indigenous Communities of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc, Jujuy, Argentina.  

“Fly free from fossil fuels” –  “Stop War-s! Peace Now!” 

Stream it: Sign up here for the live stream and to stay in touch with the Aerocene community. 

World Records: The records to be attempted cover the Female and General categories for balloon classes AT- 11 through AT-15 in distance, duration and altitude. This will be the second occasion in the history of aviation that invokes FAI’s Ballooning Category AT: “free balloons which obtain buoyancy as a result of heating air using solar and/or external radiation sources”.

Aerocene Pilot: Lea Zeberli

EC-096 Aerocene Aerosolar vehicle:  Developed by Aerocene with UltraMagic Balloons

Moving images and sound will be part of Aerocene’s diverse living materials, which will be presented at:

Aerocene Festival at At Hangar Y, Meudon, France – 23 – 25 June 2023

Serpentine, London, England – June – September 2023

Produced by: Produced by the Aerocene Community and Foundation. Supported by the artistic creation funding program Mondes nouveaux. With the long term support of Eric and Caroline Freymond.

UPDATED INFORMATION ON THE AEROCENE WEBSITE, INSTAGRAM,  FACEBOOK, AND TWITTER.

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES AND HASHTAGS

@aerocene
@mondes_nouveaux

#MondesNouveaux #Aerocene #freetheair #stopwars #peacenow #flyfreefromfossilfuels #waterandlifeareworthmorethanlithium

PROJECT CREDITS

Short caption (cannot be altered): Produced by the Aerocene Community and Foundation. Supported by the artistic creation funding program Mondes nouveaux. With the long term support of Eric and Caroline Freymond. Longer caption: This performance is produced by the Aerocene Foundation, and carries the messages “Water and Life are worth more than lithium”, written with the Indigenous Communities of Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc, Jujuy, Argentina; “Fly free from fossil fuels”; and “Stop War-s! Peace Now!”. It builds on the 2020 Fly with Aerocene Pacha project, which broke 32 world records recognized by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale), and became the most sustainable flight in human history, floating only with the heat of the sun, along the currents of the wind. Supported by the artistic creation funding program Mondes nouveaux. With the long term support of Eric and Caroline Freymond.

FAQs

Aerocene is an interdisciplinary community that brings together diverse artists, activists, geographers, philosophers, speculative scientists, balloonists, technologists, thinkers, and dreamers from around the world for collective performances towards eco-social justice. Its members seek to devise collaborative modes of ecological sensitivity increasing public awareness of global resource circulation, and reactivating a common imaginary towards an ethical collaboration with the environment and the atmosphere. Through a DIT (Do-It-Together) and open-source ethos, the community attempts to overcome abusive extractive practices, like oil, gas, and lithium mining among many others, that some humans have imposed on landscapes, ecosystems, communities, and other species. The group’s ever-evolving practice manifests in myriad ways, including the testing and circulation of aerosolar sculptures that become buoyant with nothing but the heat of the sun and infrared radiation from Earth’s surface—free from fossil fuels, batteries, lithium, solar panels, helium, and hydrogen. To build and float with an aerosolar sculpture is to engage participants in practices of thinking-through-making and collaborative action, triggering imagination and creativity, and spreading knowledge through a multidisciplinary approach that can extend into other fields of socio-environmental activism.⁠ Active in 126 cities, 43 countries and 6 continents, the Aerocene community has activated artistic environmental projects and floated over 8,000 minutes in the air, free from carbon, for climate justice. Find the Aerocene community’s Timeline and learn more on Aerocene.org

The records to be attempted cover the Female and General categories for balloon classes AT- 11 through AT-15 in distance, duration and altitude. In the case of altitude, it will mean the first such flight ever to attempt a FAI recognized World Record.

This will be the second occasion in the history of aviation that invokes FAI’s Ballooning Category AT: “free balloons which obtain buoyancy as a result of heating air using solar and/or external radiation sources”.

The World Record Attempt observers will be Mr. Corentin Ragot, professional balloon pilot from Maintenon, and Benoit Pelard, Delegate CIA for the French Balloon Federation.

In 2020, the flight of Aerocene Pacha inaugurated FAI’s AT Category in Salinas Grandes, Argentina, heralding the most sustainable flight in the history of aviation. These flights, their pilot, Leticia Marques, and the team of the international Aerocene Community, were awarded 32 World Records by FAI.

Three years later, the human flight in France will be the first time in history that solar ballooning World Records are attempted in Europe.

 

The records to be attempted cover the Female and General categories for balloon classes AT- 11 through AT-15 in distance, duration and altitude. In the case of altitude, it will mean the first such flight ever to attempt a FAI recognized World Record.

This will be the second occasion in the history of aviation that invokes FAI’s Ballooning Category AT: “free balloons which obtain buoyancy as a result of heating air using solar and/or external radiation sources”.

In 2020, the flight of Aerocene Pacha inaugurated FAI’s AT Category in Salinas Grandes, Argentina, heralding the most sustainable flight in the history of aviation. These flights, their pilot, Leticia Marques, and the team of the international Aerocene Community, were awarded 32 World Records by FAI.

Three years later, the human flight in France will be the first time in history that solar ballooning World Records are attempted in Europe.

Aerocene is able to float for much longer than a balloon fuelled by propane, which due to the weight of the propane can normally only travel for an hour. Moving only with the heat of the sun – an unlimited source of lifting potential – Aerocene can theoretically float from dawn till dusk, approximately 8-15 hours, depending on the season, location and weather. This project will allow the Aerocene Community to understand more about this capacity. Use the Aerocene App or Float Predictor to learn more and test a potential day or day-night journey using only solar power.

No. Aerocene during its flight creates no carbon emissions because it uses only the energy of the sun above us and the air we breathe. By comparison, an average-sized hot air balloon (2,200 m3) will use about 136 litres of liquid propane gas in a one hour flight. This is equivalent to 207 kgCO2e (at 1.522 kgCO2/l) or the equivalent carbon emissions of driving an average car 1,250 km. Source: Julie’s Bicycle, London.

Aerocene moves with the rhythms of the planet, meaning the distance and speed is dependent on the level of solar energy, wind speeds and weather. For this flight we will fly up to  25-30 km per hour for as long the sun and the weather condition are favourable. However, Aerocene is not focused on speed or the usual aims of mobility – faster, further, quicker. Rather, the community focuses on understanding the patience and relationship to the elements we need to drift and move in a way which ethically collaborates with Earth’s abundance of energy. Learn more with the Aerocene App or Float Predictor.

The weather will decide!

Yes, Aerocene is both a flying sculpture and a fully certified balloon aircraft built to all regulations, following all annual controls and insured. The pilot is a trained, licenced balloonist. Should the valve used to descend or the sandbags used to ascend fail, we carry a propane burner to use in case of emergency.

A new way of flying​ – aeronautical students in Forlì

An object from the Aerocene era challenged the aircrafts of the Anthropocene in their own territory; it was a meaningful experience for all participants.

Leggi l'articolo in italiano

On February 14, 2023, third-year students flew the Aerocene Sculpture into the skie of the F. Baracca Institute in Forlì, one of three aeronautical high schools in Italy, attended by students who come from all over Italy with dreams of becoming pilots or aircraft engineers.

The flight of the Aerocene sculpture was the last stage of a course that began in November 2022 and was designed at the boundary between art and science. Students learned the physics of an aerosolar flight and built two versions of Tetro following the manual available on the Aerocene website.

The course was designed thanks to the collaboration between physics teachers at the Baracca Institute and the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Bologna, within the FEDORA European research project. Together we designed an extracurricular course to observe what happens when scientific knowledge meets an artistic language and to develop the sustainability skills outlined in GreenComp, the European sustainability competence framework published by the European Commission in 2022. The European document is intended to be a guide for those wishing to develop educational projects aimed at developing sustainability competences. The Aerocene art project seemed a suitable opportunity to achieve these educational goals at the Baracca Institute.

The course began with a lecture introducing the works of Tomás Saraceno and the Aerocene project, followed by a lesson on the physics of aerosolar flights and a workshop on building Tetro.

Afterwards, we flew the sculpture twice. The first attempt on January 12 was on a sunny day, but light white clouds veiled the sun and did not allow the sculpture to fly successfully. The second attempt occurred on February 14, in the early hours of a beautiful sunny afternoon, with blue skies cleared of clouds. The sculpture soared a few meters into the open space around the school, a few dozen meters away from the runway of Forli’s small airport. An object from the Aerocene era challenged the aircrafts of the Anthropocene in their own territory; it was a meaningful experience for all participants.

The students were very happy to experience a new way of flying, totally different from what they learn in their school. The encounter with an art form was surprising and exciting for them and offered a unique opportunity to reflect on climate change and the need to change our habits. This experience expanded their idea of what it means to fly, made them understand how we can collaborate with nature, and showed an unprecedented way to relate to the air. The students had an artistic experience that emotionally enriched their vision of a more sustainable future, making the message more effective and persistent.

Now, it remains to finalize the project with the flight test of the two student-built sculptures as soon as the sun and wind allow. We are all happy to have been part of the Aerocene Community. The Baracca Institute will repeat the experience in future years, helping to raise awareness of Aerocene and expand its community.
At the end of the course, one student wrote, “I express my desire that art and science continue to travel together; working on this project has engaged me and I hope to work on equally exciting projects in the future.”

We hope that other schools will have the same experience.

Salvemos el Cerro de Villa del Dique

Durante el fin de semana del 15 y 16 de octubre, la comunidad de Aerocene participa del Encuentro Ambiental del Villa del Dique 2022, organizado por la Asamblea Salvemos el Cerro de Villa del Dique.

Dialogamos con Gabriel Marco, uno de los realizadores del Encuentro Ambiental: “En Villa del Dique, en el corazón del valle de Calamuchita, una empresa constructora -GNI @gni.desarrollos- se apropió del camino público y de las costas del lago para un desarrollo inmobiliario. Para eso abrió un camino de forma totalmente irregular destruyendo el bosque de monte nativo sin ninguna evaluación de impacto ambiental.”

La Asamblea de vecinos “Salvemos al Cerro de Villa del dique” se encuentra en pie de lucha y alerta ambiental frente a la devastadora acción de la mega desarrollista GNI SA, la cual se apropió irregularmente de las costas del lago del pueblo para construir viviendas de lujo con puerto privado para comercializar.

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La comunidad de Aerocene participó del encuentro volando tres esculturas aerosolares, a las que se les colgaron banderas en apoyo la causa del Cerro de Villa del Dique. Los vuelos se dieron con excelentes condiciones atmosféricas y fueron disfrutados por decenas de familias que visitaron el Encuentro Ambiental.

Al día siguiente, los integrantes de la Comunidad Aerocene arribaron al territorio con la intención de realizar un vuelo aerosolar manifestándose en contra de la destrucción del Cerro de la Cruz, pero la empresa de seguridad privada de la constructora GNI SA les impidió el acceso tanto por el camino como por las costas, argumentando que se trataba de propiedad privada.

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Invitamos a reflexionar: justifica un negocio inmobiliario semejante daño al entorno natural y patrimonio turístico de tan hermoso lugar?

https://www.change.org/p/fuera-gni-de-villa-del-dique-devuelvan-el-camino-del-cerro-y-las-costas-del-lago-reserva-forestal-ya-salvemos-al-cerro-de-villa-del-dique-jschiaretti-jc-scotto-mvmuccillo-gnidesarrollos