Physical Synthesis have announced an ambitious project which hopes to launch a synthesizer into space aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 1 November 2023.
The company have worked alongside Odyssey SpaceWorks to develop the Blue Marble Synthesizer, a first-of-a-kind musical instrument that can only work in space by harnessing the properties of zero-gravity. The instrument is housed in a pressurised capsule, and relies on the interaction between a spherical piece of glass and an array of laser sensors that track its location inside of the capsule.
The capsule then transmits the data gathered by the sensors back to Earth, where they can be accessed via a web-based interface. The communication isn’t just one-way, either: the capsule is also fitted with a small fan which can be used to agitate the air inside the capsule and manipulate the marble’s movement. There is also an onboard microphone, camera, speaker and LED lighting system, all of which can be accessed via the web interface, making it possible to send audio files to the instrument’s speaker and change the lighting whilst monitoring the results.
Whilst the interface is limited to a single user, the company have also developed a VST plug-in which will make it possible to receive MIDI data based on the instrument’s sensor readings and use them to control virtual instruments within a DAW. It will also provide an audio feed captured by the capsule’s microphone.
The company are also partnering with Andrew Huang, Benn Jordan and a number of other electronic music artists, who will be composing original music with the synth that will be released after the space mission is complete.
The project has a goal of $50,000, and pledges with various levels of rewards range from $15 to $5000. For those just wishing to support the project, there is also an option to pledge any amount you like without reward.
The Blue Marble Kickstarter campaign is live now at the following link:
