xubingart
Aug 25
The farewell message of SCA-1 was spoken just before it completely lost contact with us, using the last traces of its remaining energy. In fact, in the works it sent back on May 8, strange flickering already appeared. While I liked the special effect, I also realized that the satellite might be experiencing functional problems. Soon after, the satellite company later informed us that due to a solar storm, SCA-1 had begun to fall out of orbit, slipping from its original altitude of 600 kilometers down to 300 kilometers. It was expected to lose contact with the ground within half a month. But when we prepared this farewell message and tried to upload it as quickly as possible, SCA-1 gave no response. After a week of continuous attempts and waiting nothing. Disappointing.
Then on June 20, news suddenly came: SCA-1 had a signal again! Stubbornly, it carried out its final task, speaking the last words. How much energy does this art satellite still have? When will it appear again? Nobody knows. We have prepared two works submitted by high-school students, ready to upload whenever possible...
Under the uncontrollable forces of greater nature, about 13% of Musk’s Starlink satellites have already fallen. SCA-1, this art satellite, could not escape the same fate. Yet all of this forms part of the unique charm of space technology and art in this stage, like the brilliance of human childhood, or the charming immaturity of AI in its earliest developmental phase.
The farewell of SCA-1 does not mark the end of the Xu Bing Space Art Residency Program. We will soon announce the next satellite that will take its place.
Xu Bing 2025.06.20
xubingart
Aug 25
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