EXPLORING SPACE

In recent months, space exploration has been making headlines in new and unprecedented ways. Whether it’s the mesmerizing scenes from sent back from the Mars Rover, the recent landing pad explosion of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship SN10 or his wife Grimes’ stratospheric sales of Crypto Art depicting demonic, winged cupids floating over Earth, Mars (and an apocalyptic landscape), exploring uncharted realms has officially infiltrated the cultural mind sphere.

It’s no surprise, in these uncertain times, that we see a growing trend in cosmic themes of space and astrology – whether we are turning towards escapist stories of science-(not-so)-fiction worlds or the predictable patterns of the stars for clues and hope in our own maxed-out lives.

Seemingly endless days of lockdown have led more and more of us down dual paths, leading to both escapism and introspection. And the numbers show that, more and more, we are using the stars as a guide to chart our route; exploring notions of off-world colonies, cosmic signs and mythic archetypes to name just a few.

Perhaps Carl Sagan was on to something with his book & 1997 film Contact, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. In the story he proposes space travel is not a matter of propulsion into outer space, but actually an inward journey through consciousness.

For now, perhaps, we can understand these two directions for space travel as dual sides of one coin. The urge to explore will forever endure, whether to colonize the moon or enter deepest recesses of our own navel.