Rising in Schönfelde: a Free Flight story

New story: Free Flight at Schönfelde

by Anna Guðný Jónsdóttir Þór

Last Saturday, 9th of June 2018, two Aerocene sculptures were released in a free flight and later kindly tracked, found and retrieved by Polish radio-amateurs from Radiosondy Polska. At 9 am, over 40 Aerocene community members joined together to celebrate the launch of the book ‘Aerocene’. This was no regular book launch, since as a symbol of the continuous, soaring journey of Aerocene, a copy was attached to the sculpture Cyanophyta to be carried by easterly winds and delivering our message to the world, filled only with air, lifted only by the sun, carried only by the wind.

Throughout the pleasantly sunny morning, the Aerocene community guided Aerocene explorers through the air, which are tethered flight starter kits enclosed in a portable back-pack, created to introduce you to atmospheric expeditions in a way that allows you to sense the environment encircling you in a new fashion. Observing the sculptures ascending and descending, fluctuating as guided by the wind, induced an entirely original aura of tranquility over many of us. Sincerely, witnessing and observing the soft and yielding material of Aerocene sculptures symbolizes nothing short of a magnificent conjunction of technology, art and sustainability, an interest many of the community members share with eachother. This was expressed in a beautiful way as community members such as architectural enthusiast Matthias Böttger took initiative to interact with the explorers. Everyone guided and observed the explorers as they decorated our surroundings with aerial signatures, marking our collective agreement to open the Air of Commons Convention – the Aerosolar Transnational Agreement declaring our matter of concern: de-carbonization of the air! As a newly joined Aerocene community member, this was an experience I would surely never forget!

In the midst of these explorers, Cyanophyta was released, carrying a copy of the newly released ‘Aerocene’ and accompanied by another ascending sculpture, which rose together and were swept away, purely rising by the energy of the sun and travelling by the power of the wind. Cyanophyta´s nomenclature originates from organisms that initially changed the composition of Earth´s life forms by producing and releasing oxygen, and now it was time for our soaring sculpture to challenge their legacy by strengthening our agreement of decarbonizing the air. Crossing borders into the new epoch Aerocene, Cyanophyta carried our collective signature of our commitment to a sustainable future for all. The sculptures were released around 10 am and floated in ensemble as we observed the way they intertwined with surprise and delight. Just as the two sculptures soared together, bound in a similar path through the force of the wind, we remained together, bound by the message being delivered by Cyanophyta: free from borders, free from fossil fuels.

After the release of the sculptures, there was an interesting communal attentiveness to the location of the sculptures in the sky before they surpassed our field of view. During this time, people began to find increasingly creative ways to describe the position of the sculptures in the air to one another. Creativity and collaboration is an important aspect of Aerocene which is also shared with members of the community such as Thomas Heidtmann, a media artist from SPARTH. As interesting and inspiring individuals, all members of the community mingled, enthusiastic about the developments being made for the journey of Aerocene, as we kept an eye on the sculptures slowly disappearing behind effervescent clouds.

While we settled and assisted each other to find them in the sky, the tracking systems attached to the sculptures were recording both their position and temperature, such that with a link and a call sign they could be tracked on your phone and other devices. So, even when the sculptures disappeared beyond, you could still observe them. Another crucial part of the tracking system was the recording of particulate matter enveloping the sculptures. Particulate matter is fine dust in the micrometer range, a form of air pollution being tracked on the ground in many areas of the earth. With this free flight, Aerocene has lifted these measurements into the air to observe the distribution of pollution above us, which can allow us to examine the air conditions in a significant way.

Along with the amazing engagement of the people present at the launch, we were gifted the efforts of new friends of Aerocene across the border in Poland. Some amazing people who took the task upon themselves to track, find and retrieve the sculptures upon landing. As community members celebrated, chatted and enjoyed each other’s company in the fields outside of Berlin, watching the sculptures take flight and disappear beyond the horizon, efforts were already being made to find the sculptures over in Poland. Only hours after the launch, messages began to arrive about the search from people that were excited to join the effort. The first sculpture was found on the same day, while the one carrying the book was searched for over the weekend and found on Monday the following week. The amount of time and energy invested into the recovery by the community members across the border and their enthusiasm to do so is an extraordinary sign of the growing network of the community. So whether squinting to try to find the sculptures above, looking on a screen to track the sculptures via satellite, chasing the sculptures, or all of the above, our amazing Aerocene community made the launch as spectacular and uplifting as one could have hoped. And as a growing community of people, by exploring buoyancy using the natural resources that continuously dance around us, – the sun, the air, and the wind – we collectively join their dance in a venture to grow more attune to the natural rhythm of the planet.







Fair winds!

Thanks to:

Alice Lamperti, Anna Drewes, Aurelien Calpas, Aysegul Seyhan, Banu Çiçek Tülü, Camilla Berggren Lundell, Claudia Melendez, Dario Iannone, Dario J Lagana, Denis Maksimov, Devrim Yasar, Erik Vogler, Esther Schipper, Gwilym Faulkner, Hannah Turner, Ilka Tödt, Joshua Depaiva, Kimberly Bradley, Leopold Schulenburg, Mariia Dubrovska, Martina Pelacchi, Matthias Böttger, Moonsung Cho, Roland Mühlethaler, Roxanne Mackie, Sara Ferrer, Sophie Rzepecky, Sven Steudte, Thomas Heidtmann, Timo Tuominen,Yelta Köm, Zaida Violan

Including all participants!

Aerocene movements over CCCB – Barcelona

Bacelona, the Aerocene Explorer flies over the CCCB

Barcelona, Spain: 30 April 2018

Only one day before the closing of ‘After the End of the World’, an exhibition about the Earth of 2017 (irreversibly transformed into the Anthropocene planet after two centuries of human impact on natural systems) and how we will reach the world of the latter half of the 21st century; the CCCB team decided to perform the Aerocene Explorer tethered-flight by using the material contained in the Explorer Backpack hanging from our exhibition walls. The launch was performed in the Pati de les Dones, an exterior courtyard enclosed by the buildings of the CCCB. The courtyard is a public space, which means that any pedestrian passing by could see and enjoy the experience.

It wasn’t the first time we had planned to fly the Sculpture over our cultural center, but the weather conditions in Barcelona during the past weeks had been unbelievable! Since when has the sunny city seen so many cloudy and windy days in spring? May we blame climate change once again? Or shall we be blamed for the change in climate?

 

Fortunately, the conditions that morning were good enough (a sunny morning with low winds) to allow us to perform the experience and finally materialise the activity, offering greater understanding to the audience, who was able to visualize the concept functioning in open air. But how did the process go?

STEP 1: We prepare the Sculpture in the yard for the flight

STEP 2: We manage to make it fly!

We were impressed by how quickly the Structure raised to reach the sky. All of a sudden, people passing by started to gather around to see the Sculpture fly. Many were extremely curios and took their phones and cameras out to capture the moment; children were impressed, looking at the sky and running around the yard to follow the Sculpture as it flew.

When the morning started to look gloomy again, it was time to take the Sculpture back
to the ground and place it back to its container. It took 5 of us to fold it but, with
patience and team work, we finally managed to get the air out (always keep an eye on the hole – it needs to be open for the air to escape!) and finalise the experience!

Being able to publically practice and present the utopian architectural project of the Aerocene Explorer has been an invaluable experience to show the importance of using
the countless resources we have to tackle the current and future climate crisis.

All images were taken by the CCCB

Movements with MIT: Citizen science – Boston, by Johnson Huynh

Citizen science

Aerocene project hopes to put research into the hands of citizens

By Johnson Huynh

  • Aerocene Explorer Performance and Interactive Display @ MIT
  • MIT visiting artist, Tomás Saraceno
  • April 20 –21, MIT Killian Court and Memorial Lobby

The sky was painted a crystal blue, and from all corners of MIT, people strolled out in shorts and sunglasses. Meanwhile, a gigantic black balloon was floating on Killian Lawn. Animated by what could only be described as an otherworldly force, the object writhed midair. A simple string tethered it to the ground as people looked up in awe at it. EAPS scientists calmly stood before it, chatting away with passerbys. The balloon continued to swim through the air, propelling itself like a jellyfish.

Aerocene sculptures become buoyant by the heat of the Sun and infrared radiation from the surface of Earth. Aerocene sculptures become buoyant by the heat of the Sun and infrared radiation from the surface of Earth. They float following Archimedean buoyancy physics, without burning fossil fuels, without using solar panels and batteries, and without helium, hydrogen and other rare gases. Sun lift and wind create huge forces, gloves are used to protect the Aerocene pilot's hands Sun lift and wind create huge forces, gloves are used to protect the Aerocene pilot’s hands

On April 20 and 21, in a collaboration between artist Tomás Saraceno and a few of the EAPS scientists, one of the Aerocene Explorers was brought to our campus. It is a Mylar balloon, crafted with the sole purpose of keeping itself aloft without the use of fossil fuels. Instead, it uses the power of the sun, as explained by researcher Lodovica Illari. The sun warms up the air within the confines of its Mylar and causes it to rise. While up in the air, it continues to twist and turn due to the infrared radiation.

Lodovica Ilari from MIT EAPS explains the inner workins of the atmosphere to a young audience. Lodovica Ilari from MIT EAPS explains the inner workins of the atmosphere to a young audience.

In addition, a small detector is attached to one of the corners of the balloon. Its purpose is to record the level of pollutants from the surrounding area. When I talked to Professor Illari about some of the data that it produced, she led me away from the strange artwork to a screen within Lobby 10. Every few minutes, the monitor would show a different graph with information that was being relayed in real time from the detector. She gushed about the prospects of using this detector in combination with this type of airborne vehicle, saying that it “is friendly with the earth” since it “is powered by the sun.”

Despite all of the scientific elements of Aerocene, the initiative itself is still a performance. In fact, a phrase I heard tossed around a lot in conversation with was “citizen science.” Simple in concept but profound in its effect, citizen science has the potential to unite communities all across the world against climate change. “You get everyone gathering data, like crowdsourcing,” added Illari.

 

 

 

Indeed, this gelatinous creature really did function just like an airborne sculpture. Children stopped running through Lobby 10 to gaze upon the Mylar beast. A few of them asked questions to professors doing demos in the hallway. There were even a couple whose eyes glimmered with excitement as they listened to people such as Illari. “If you can learn in a fun and a playful way, you can raise awareness,” explained Leila Kinney, the Executive Director of Arts Initiative and MIT CAST.

And maybe that’s all it takes for change to start: a few people from the neighborhood simply wondering how they can do something that has a global impact. When asked how this might bring people together to conduct citizen science, Professor Jesse Kroll replied that there really is a “community aspect and a research aspect.”

This is how you inflate an Aerocene sculpture: by running and holding it's opening into the wind! This is how you inflate an Aerocene sculpture: by running and holding it’s opening into the wind! Tomas Saraceno and Bill McKenna showcase the Float Predictor, a tool that allows you to imagine how aerosolar flights could become real Tomas Saraceno and Bill McKenna showcase the Float Predictor, a tool that allows you to imagine how aerosolar flights could become real An Aerocene sculpture seen from the inside An Aerocene sculpture seen from the inside

Overall, this outdoors performance was a wonderful complement to the day’s weather. Not only did it raise awareness about how humans affect our world, but it also brought people together under the guise of being a typical art piece. Nothing could be further from the truth — this pitch-black balloon floated in the very intersection between art and science.

Visit aerocene.org for more information about this project.

Credits:

With special thanks to all the crew at MIT Arts and MIT EAPS who made this wonderful event possible.

This article originally appeared in The Tech, issue 12 volume 138. It may be freely distributed electronically as long as it includes this notice but cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of The Tech. Write to archive@tech.mit.edu for additional details.

All photos that illustrate this article were taken by Sham Sthankiya.

Images from the Aerocene onboard instrument were captured live by kite and ballooning enthusiast Mr Jay Venti.

Susurrus meets Aerocene in Dresden

Susurrus meets Aerocene in Dresden

Monday, 5th March

We had a successful launch on Monday the 5th of March, a cold but sunny afternoon in Dresden on the courtyard of Hellerau Festival Theatre. The building has a meaningful history: built in 1911 as a school of Rhythmics, following the 1930’s as a military camp; later the Soviet army used it as their barracks – in the 1990s the site was brought back to life through art. Today it hosts one of the most important interdisciplinary centres for contemporary arts in Germany, Hellerau – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste Dresden. Our international team was privileged to be given a two-week artist residency at Hellerau where we could concentrate on the development of our new transdisciplinary performance creation ‘Susurrus’. Our research into the Aerocene project and launch informed our creative development immensely.

During our 2-hour launch the membrane lifted approximately 3m off the ground. There were quite strong winds so we decided to keep it only part inflated and close to the ground so we could study it’s movement and how it ‘breathed’ in relation to the heating of the air inside the membrane as well as it’s interaction with the air/wind.

The core of our research within the ‘Susurrus’ project is to encourage environmental awareness through our unique performance language that includes a highly sensitised movement aesthetic, personal anecdotes, sound vibrations and sustainable design. All elements will intermingle in the final performance to create a sensual journey that is alternately humorous, tragic, moving and provocative encouraging audiences to sense their embeddedness within the biosphere.

The name for our creation,’Susurrus’ means a rustle, whisper or murmur. In particular we have focused on the rustle of a stream, murmur of air floating and the undertone/vibration within all living and non-living entities. During the performance a susurrus can also be experienced as a whisper of stories collected by the performer/creators (Renae Shadler and Maria Nurmela) while walking backwards through the various locations they have traveled while creating the work, and in particular along, or ‘entlang’ meaning ‘by the side of’, a stream. During ‘Susurrus’ the performers recreate these landscapes, noticing and engaging with the scenery, inhabitants, our social context and environment with a surreal-edge and contagious pleasure in the unknown.
More information HERE2.

Below is an interview with Renae Shadler and Maria Nurmela

https://www.facebook.com/HELLERAU.FAN/videos/1792891807399281/

During our creative process (started in May 2016) we encountered Tomás Saraceno and his works. We were especially taken by Aerocene project. Tomás’s idea of Aerocene as a starting of a new era after anthropocene; Aerocene Foundation as a new community, conscious of ecology and humanity; but as well Aerocene as a ethereal and aerial, soulful, moving/dancing sculpture inspired us immensely. The creative team related physically and emotionally to many of the writings within the Aerocene publications. Samuel Herzt wrote “The body must be viewed as a porous entity—as flexible as any environment in which it can exist, and pre-supposing intimate, consistent, and inextricable exchanges between human and environment” [“Swift Wind: Hearing Environmental Affect”, Aerocene Exhibition Road Publication, page 130].

These ideas resonated strongly with our practice of embodied explorations and choreographic ideas.

“I bound Aerocene with its air-like and membranous quality strongly to my contemporary dance practice, and to our values and wishes of exploring humane embodiment and its potentials”
(Maria Nurmela, co-creator/performer, Hellerau 2018)

Aerocene prompted us to ask,

  • how do we collaborate with the air in performance? (…caressing, noticing, being moved by it…)
  • Could we creatively reimagine the eternal destiny of a human-being that is bound to the earth with its gravitational pull?
  • How could sustainable and ecological matters be embedded in performance art and within the theatre?

Aerocene had a strong influence on the aesthetics of ‘Susurrus’, “Engaging with the Aerocene project was for me an interesting investigation, how it would be possible to create anything similar on stage to behave like the Aerocene; which needs sun and wind; and which moves and behaves so beautifully. I have chosen my design material (plastic) because it reminds me of the lightness of the membrane. I’m also going to try to do a flying object on stage using a fan and infrared light. So for me the experiment with Aerocene has already given a lot.“
(Kalle Ropponen, lighting designer, Hellerau 2018)

To experience Aerocene´s pure movement through wind – lightness but in the same time the massive power – held a strong poetic value for us. It brought a new ethereal and transcendent quality to the sensitive and surreal world that we aim to transmit. Like the Aerocene, ‘Susurrus’ is facilitating a performative experience where the audience and performers share a dream-like state of being part of and within their surroundings: “A space as breathing fragile porous organism and room filled with bodies in tense relation, with strange and alluring instruments, with breathless speeds of thought, with friends, family and kin.” [Aerocene Exhibition Road Publication].

We would like to thank the Aerocene Foundation for loaning us the Explorer Kit and look forward to continuing a dialogue with the Aerocene community.

‘Susurrus’ Creative Team – Concept, Choreography & Performance: Renae Shadler ,
Maria Nurmela. Light design / Set design: Kalle Ropponen, Sound design: Korhan Erel

Aerocene San Luis Expedition Logbook 2017 / 2018

Aerocene San Luis Expedition Logbook
2 November 2017 – January 8th 2018

Team

  • Tomás Saraceno
  • Sofia Lemos > Researcher
  • Joaquin Ezcurra > Operations & flight visualization
  • Maxi Laina > Videographer
  • Martín Maillos > Cameraman & drone operator
  • Martin Torres Manzur > Sound recording
  • Flor Groppa > Photographer & drone operator
  • Gabriela Maillos > Logistics
  • Eduardo Marengo > Positioning
  • Camilla Berggen Lundell > Communications, Berlin
  • Erik Vogler > Solar Sculptures Development, Berlin

Thursday November 2nd 2017
1100hs: Meet Mr. Juan Tabernero at EANA, over mate and some medialunas we discuss about restricted airspaces and air traffic control in Argentina.

November 2017
Flight planning. Overlapping Flightradar.com airspaces and Google Earth satellite imagery in order to assess Aerocene free flight operations.

Tuesday December 19th 2017
We are authorized to do first aerosolar free-flight in Argentina.

Tuesday Dec 26th 2017
We have good weather forecast for wednesday, thursday and friday. Requested the free flight date change for thursday.

Wednesday Dec 27th 2017
1600hs > Arrived at El Durazno, San Luis. We launch Mavic Drone and learn the basics from Tomas. Footage filmed.

Thursday Dec 28th 2017
Weather > Sunny, 23C, northerly wind at less than 10 km/h

Maderos, Dique La Florida > S 33° 07’ 12.6” W66° 02’ 29.5”

0800hs > Arrived at Puerto de Maderos, El Trapiche, province of San Luis.
1000hs > We begin inflating balloons prepared in Berlin for Air-Water-Air Experiments.

1100hs > Explorers and Air-Water-Air balloons fly with GoPro cameras above Dique La Florida. The balloons were fitted with high definition microphones to record the sound of the atmosphere.

1200hs > Air-Water-Air experiments: the Explorers outshined all other balloons on their ability to get wet and quickly rise again.

Friday Feb 9th 2018

Flight visualization for balloons #aeroceneexplorer AE032, AE034, Air-Water-Air I and Air-Water-Air II. Their flight path data was recorded using a Garmin GPS and then processed with Garmin BaseCamp and Google Earth using the KML (Keyhole Markup Language) format.
Due to Google Earth’s topographic model weak accuracy, we had to calibrate the balloon’s path using KML’s altitudeOffset command.

An isolated trajectory from the Puerto Maderos flights using Trimble SketchUp software.

Thursday Dec 28th 2017

La Toma > S33° 03’ 18.0″ W65° 35’ 53.8″
Weather > Sunny, 34C, north-easterly wind at less than 12 km/h, increasing slightly

In the afternoon we move to La Toma to have a go at free flight.
1600hs: We attempt a free flight, there is little wind, our Gemini free-flight sculpture slowly rises, to begin going down. Payload seems to be to heavy for the amount of insolation. We give it another go by running and accompanying the balloon, but it doesn’t take off. We decide to call off the flight and protect the equipment.
We reach Eana authorities and receive authorisation for a flight the following day.

Friday Dec 29 th 2017
Weather > Sunny, 35C, northerly wind blowing at 22 km/h

La Toma, San Luis > S33° 03’ 18.0″ W65° 35’ 53.8″

Unfortunately, high wind conditions prevent the balloon from taking off again. We gave our hearts and souls and our take off attempts are filmed by a drone. These are also part of the negotiation proposed by Aerocene, our will to do things and the swinging moods of the atmosphere.

Aerocene free flight balloon in La Toma, with the Cerro El Morro in the back, created by volcanic processes 1500 million years ago.

We did succeed in creating rapport with Argentina flight authorities, keeping them informed at all times about our activities and complying with all legal regulations.

Hopefully the experience gained will be valuable for future free flights (or free floats) around the world, stressing the importance of humanity learning to live in relationship with the Atmosphere in the Aerocene era.

Monday January 8th 2018
Estanzuela, departamento de Chacabuco, San Luis

An Aerocene Explorer is launched by local community, registering flight path information.

Aerocene Explorer flight path visualization with the backdrop of Sierras Comechingones, San Luis.

Would you like to visualize these flight on your own computer? You just need Google Earth and this files:

Explorer AE032.kml (121.1 KB)

Explorer AE034.kml (121.3 KB)

Globo 1.kml (357.8 KB)

Globo 2.kml (121.2 KB)

Aerocene Flavia.kml (74.6 KB)

Aussie Esperance & Perth Explorer Flights

Australia

Esperance & Perth Explorer Flights

A duo of first ever Australian Aerocene Explorer flights took place in the last week of 2017 and the first week of 2018.
Gwilym Faulkner who was visiting his family on vacation from Berlin, had the timely opportunity to launch with them into the new year in a truly Aerocenic manner. The first flight took place on the remote white and blue expanse of Lucky Bay in Esperance, and secondly in a more communal setting at the South Fremantle beach in Perth.

The flight in Esperance was a true testament to the ability of the wind, with a strong onshore south-westerly typical to the area, the flight was equal parts battle and dance with the wind in an attempt to gain some lift from the sun and record some aerial footage of the beautiful coastal landscape.

Sharing the beach with only a few campers and tourists, there was a beautiful quietness between the sculpture and the landscape, which was only occasionally interrupted by a curious cry of a child, the slowing engine of a vehicle beachgoer passing by and the perhaps confused calls of local seagulls. Having several pairs of helping hands on standby, the sculpture was manageable but still an important reminder of the power and force that is constantly generated by the ever present wind. After a few successful lifts the decision was made to retire the sculpture for the day. For a first ever flight in the continent, the group left with a feeling of achievement and a newfound respect for the raw power and ability of nature.

 

 

 

On the 6th of January, with sunny blue skies and a moderate amount of wind, the second flight took place on a grassy field a stone’s throw away from the waters of South Beach in Fremantle. With adequate sunshine and a recorded temperature difference of 13 degrees celsius within 6 minutes, the sculpture was ready to launch. Before long a relationship between the sculpture and the people began to take place; many local families, friends and beachgoers were getting curious and inquisitive about the sculpture.

Once the sculpture had lifted, the first to interact, unsurprisingly, were a group of young toddlers who chased and danced with the sculpture. Following their lead, many of the other people who had heard about the launch or passed by at the right time started to converse between themselves and with Gwilym regarding just what it was they were seeing. The moments when many realized this large thing in front of them was lifted purely by the power of the sun, there was a reaction of awe and excitement and perhaps a shift in the way things are seen. In a land with such plentiful sunshine, the potential for an Aerocene inspired future is bright and important.

Lancaster Tethered flight at Mobile Utopia Conference

Aerocene Explorer Tethered flight at Mobile Utopia Conference

2 November 2017

LANCASTER, UNITED KINGDOM

54°00’21.0″N 2°47’15.0″W

On November 2nd Sasha Engelmann, Bronislaw Szerszynski and Grace Pappas performed an Aerocene Explorer tethered flight in Lancaster, UK, within the framework of a two-day “Mobile Utopia Experiment” called “The Drift Economy”, that Bron and Sasha  co-organized. The Drift Economy workshop was held at the Lancaster City Library on November 1st, and at the Lancaster University InfoLab on the morning of the 2nd.  Participants joined Bron and Sasha in experimenting with drifting seeds, VR-experiences of drift, and ‘mapping drift’ onto a three dimensional diorama of Lancaster’s topography. The Drift Economy was an experiment in public participation in an alternative mobility regime based on the existing flows of water, air, slopes, soil and elemental processes.  

Aerocene was a primary element in the Drift Economy experiment, as well as in the conference session and panel that Bron and Sasha chaired at the Mobile Utopia Conference.

In the context of the continuing expansion of fuel-intensive air travel and the militarization, securitization and commercialization of atmospheric space, the experimental workshop and the conference session were devoted to exploring how humans might develop an ethical and sustainable relationship with the atmosphere through vernacular ways of sensing, understanding and collaborating with the macro- and micro-dimensions of air. 

The approach to critical atmospheric utopias was inspired by Aerocene, inviting a tactile, unmediated skilling of atmospheric awareness. In its name, Aerocene also deliberately evokes the possibility of an epochal shift in humanity’s relation with its home planet, and indeed in the very way that the Earth populates its atmosphere with moving things. 

At around noon on the 2nd of November, Grace and Sasha inflated the sculpture on an open field near the conference venue.  As they were attaching the GPS tracker to the Aerocene sculpture, Rob La Frenais joined them on his bike.  Later in the conference, during his Keynote speech, Rob spoke about the Aerocene flight that had happened that day, and related it to the White Sands launch of D-OAEC Aerocene that occurred in 2015.

AE_Community_UK_Lancaster+Univ_00068.JPG
AE_Community_UK_Lancaster+Univ_00224.JPG

Luckily for the launch team, the weather was particularly benign on that day -except for a little wind – and the Aerocene Explorer floated in the atmosphere immediately, while recording track information with a handheld GPS attached to it.  Sasha and Grace took turns flying the sculpture, and then Sam Hertz, who had just arrived at the conference, flew the Aerocene with Bron.  

The Sculpture flew over an hour, overseen by over 60 people who gathered for the launch, registering a complicated aero-glyphic that was later processed with Garmin Basecamp and Google Earth into a striking visualization.  Participants connected to the Aerocene Explorer wifi hotspot and connected to the Aerocene’s onboard camera to ‘see’ what the sculpture was seeing. During her train travel back to London that evening, and on the way back up to Lancaster the following morning, Sasha downloaded the flight data from the launch and made some early attempts at a Google Earth flight visualization with the help of Joaquin.  

 

The experience of the Aerocene launch resonated into the conference session during the following days. The “Atmospheric Adventures in the Aerocene: heterotopias of aerial mobility” conference panel on the 3rd November included presentations by Bron, Sasha and Sam Hertz. It also included a short film, “Points of Presence” made by Adam Fish, Bradley Garrett and Oliver Case.  Rob La Frenais was the ‘discussant’.  The panel was guided by the following questions:

 

  • How can we invent and employ accessible, modest aerial experiments to arrive at an ethical engagement with the atmosphere?

  • What tools, skills, imaginaries and alliances do we need to develop to become more sensitive to the objects and vibrations passing through the atmosphere around us?

  • How can we populate the air in ways that enhance rather than diminish atmospheric affordances for different forms of life? 

  •  

The response from the panel and the subsequent discussions with many scholars, researchers, artists, technologists and engineers was a clear indication of the way that the Aerocene launch and the panel discussion had catalyzed a range of reflections and insights at the Mobile Utopia conference.  Indeed, many commented that it was the most expressive, ethical and collective ‘mobile utopia’ among the countless other proposals circulating in the air in Lancaster.

Sasha Engelmann would like to thank the Aerocene foundation for lending the sculpture to Aerocene friends in the U.K., Bron for coordinating their amazing Drift Economy experiment in Lancaster, Daniel Schulz for preparing the Explorer and checking all the components with Sasha during the summer, and Joaquin who was a fantastic (!) help with the Garmin device & software. Also Grace traveled over two hours from London to join the launch on that day and was incredibly super helpful in flying, communicating and documenting the Aerocene project to everyone involved.

Organizer: Sasha Engelmann 

Drift Economy Experiment: Bronislaw Szerszynski, Sasha Engelmann and Adam Fish

Aerocene Explorer borrowed from Aerocene Foundation

Communication: Camilla Berggen Lundell (Aerocene Foundation) and Alice Lamperti our amazing intern at STS

Aerocene Explorer set-up and support: Daniel Schulz (STS)

Aeroglyphics tutorial and support: Joaquin Ezcurra (Aerocene Foundation)

Payload experiments: Grace Pappas

More Info:

http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/t2mc2c/

https://foro.aerocene.org/t/from-handheld-gps-to-google-earth-a-conversation-about-how-to-visualize-an-aerocenes-trajectory/104