NASA Sendet Hip-Hop-Song von Missy Elliott into Space

In an unprecedented move, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has sent a hip-hop song into space. The song, “The Rain” (Supa Dupa Fly) by Missy Elliott, was transmitted over the Deep Space Network (DSN) to the planet Venus. This marks the second time that a song has been sent into space through the DSN, with the first being “Across the Universe” by The Beatles.

The idea for the project came from Brittany Brown, Director of the Digital and Technology Division at NASA’s Office of Communications in Washington. She suggested the idea to Missy Elliott, who enthusiastically agreed to participate. Elliott chose Venus as the destination for her song, citing its strength, beauty, and empowerment as reasons for her choice.

The DSN is a network of deep space communication facilities that have been in operation since 1963. The network consists of three ground stations located in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia. These stations communicate with spacecraft and other celestial bodies to support NASA’s space exploration missions.

The song was transmitted from the Deep Space Station 13 (DSS-13), which is located in the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California. The Parabolantenne DSS-13 has a diameter of 34 meters and is responsible for communicating with spacecraft and other celestial bodies in the Venus region.

NASA plans to send two missions to explore Venus in the near future. The DAVINCI mission (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) is scheduled to begin no earlier than 2029, while the VERITAS mission (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) is planned for no earlier than 2031. Both missions will use the DSN to transmit data back to Earth.

The NASA team is currently developing the Venus Synthetic Aperture Radar (VenSAR), a radar instrument that will be used on the VERITAS mission to study the surface of Venus. The JPL will lead the VERITAS mission.

This unique collaboration between NASA and Missy Elliott highlights the agency’s commitment to pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers, both in space and in art. As Elliott herself said, “I can’t believe I’m part of something so extraordinary! I’m honored to have my music be a part of NASA’s journey to explore the universe.”