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Towards a work of art on planet Mars
Planet. Space Sci., Vol. 44, No. 1 I, pp. 1463-1470, 1996 Copyright 0 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0032-0633/96 $15.00+0.00 PII: SOO32-0633(96)00032-3
Pergamon
Towards a work of art on planet Mars Jean-Marc
Received
Philippe*
for publication
6 March
1996
*European artist, born in France, of scientific university background, uses new technologies, like brushes and gouges, as tools for his art creation. Co-founder of art in space: laid the theoretical founding stones between 1970 and 1975, described several principles of creation in space of artificial light-based phenomena-obtained through reflection, laser beams or electron emission-that can be seen from Earth on the firmament. Since 1975, he has described more than 15 different art concepts bringing together space know-how and artistic imagination: the concept of artificial aurora borealis, fixed artificial stars, crown of stars around Earth, space fireworks, light-based materialization of the centre of the Moon, satellite of future archeology, lunar and Martian sculptures, orbital fairy lights, electromagnetical finery for Earth. . Author of the operation “Messages des Hommes a 1’Univers” in which more than 10,500 messages to be sent into the universe, were collected for 6 months beforehand among the people from France and its overseas territory. The messages were all broadcast by the radiotelescope of Nancay on January 27,1987, on the wavelength of 80 cm, towards the centre of the galaxy (operation supported by the international scientific community). Pioneer of the interaction between art and shape memory alloys : since 1983, he has developed technical know-how linked to this technology to be used to accomplish his artistic expectations ; he created his first shape memory alloy sculpture in 1985. Winner of the ISAST New Horizon Award 1987 (Berkeley, U.S.A.). Member of the Academic Europeenne des Sciences, des Arts et des Lettres.
Man, art and space : a reflection One of the human mind’s most beautiful abilities lies maybe in its capacity to deal with symbolic abstraction through artistic sensibility: on the one hand, in the creation process of a work of art-from the genesis of the concept to its achievement-and on the other hand, in the power through which this piece of art will be perceived, deciphered and integrated by the mind of its audience. The fruit of 4.5 million years of evolution, the human species began to develop artistic expression 30000years ago, a scientific approach a few hundred years ago, and within the last century a surmising ability for tech-
J.-M. Philippe:
1464
nological know-how dealing with the infinitely great and the infinitesimal. Indeed, through space exploration-perhaps the zenith of mankind’s exploits in the second half of the twentieth century-man now ventures beyond his own planet, emphasizing exclusively his scientific and technological traits, a testimony to the abilities he learnt to harness in his quest for knowledge. When he launches planetary probes-if one analyses the qualities prerequisite to their conception and making-man presents and represents himself as an intelligent, daring being, able to explore hostile environments, capable of both questioning himself and looking for answers through the scientific method and the technological know-how presently at his disposal. For reasons stemming from the strict logic associated with professional practice and its compartmentalization (by this is meant : targeted scientific purposes, mass constraints, mission costs, . . . ), man today has excluded the artistic dimension from space exploration. And one may regret that this exclusion has happened without any real reflection on the subject matter, when in fact its inclusion could lead to decisive advantages, be it in the short, medium or long term. Focusing on the long term, the association of an artistic sensibility with the interplanetary missions of the Martian kind, could have allowed us to come to a new questioning of ourselves, while perceiving as of today that such probes could in the future be considered as archeological pieces, abandoned by humans of our era on a planet in the solar system. More immediately, focusing on the short term, the association of art with space exploration could have allowed the man in the street to nourish his perception of the latter through both a rational scientific process and an intuitive perception. Space exploration could thereby be perceived, not only as solely devoted to the desire of fulfilling man’s thirst for knowledge, in terms of facts and figures, but also as an expression of the new challenge posed for human responsibility to manage the choice, development and use of the technologies he wanted to acquire. It would not only speak about the conquest of space but also about its significance, not only about science but also about the meaning of science, not only about achievement but also about what these achievements mean. In this regard, space exploration could play the role of an active vector and major revealer of man’s emancipation, and one may expect that it contribute to give man again the legitimate proud to belong to his species, and through this sense of pride, that it remind him of his duty of arbitrage in the managing of knowledge and technological know-how in regard of their incidence on the future of man’s destiny. As my experience as an artist confirms to me more every day, the main virtue of the symbolic metaphor lies in the fact that it renders a work of art naturally and immediately integrable by the human mind. Although a work of art is a tangible object created out of concrete materials, the actual principle of its deciphering by the mind allows the mind to integrate infinite complexities and bring together the most remote spheres. Niels Bohr stated it in these
Towards
a work of art on planet Mars
“Art expresses instantaneously the totality of a situation.” And it seems to me more than ever that no society, especially a technocultural one, can afford to do without the metaphors its artists propose, if it wants to have an effective means to gain more insight into itself and if it wants to guarantee a mature vision regarding its future. The introduction of an artistic sensibility aboard certain spatial missions could clearly contribute to : words:
Exalt the performances of the international scientific community. Rekindle the interest of the larger public for space and space missions. Allow the public’s mind to reassociate grand dreams with space missions. (This dimension of dreams has lately been overshadowed, even though the man in the street has a right to have them, especially when it is with his money that space missions are financed.) Allow everyone to better measure the stakes of his time. On an even larger scale, one could also argue that by enhancing man’s most powerful ventures, man will believe more in his destiny. And there is a certain urgency for it in a time of self-questioning. The purpose of the following is to demonstrate how by adding judiciously a few dozen grammes in one of the coming probes to Mars, the concerns expressed above could find an answer. It will be explained how we can add an artistic sensibility to a coming interplanetary Martian mission through these few dozen grammes, while respecting the constraints of the men and women of science, the proper use of public finances and the principles of ethics.’
Mars and the artistic dream : different levels of demands Putting oneself in the situation of imagining a work of art to be sent to Mars is dizzying and pushes to their limit all kinds of demands : technical, symbolic, ethical. . . On the technical level, the physical constraints inherent in the trip Earth/Mars and in the nature of the mission itself oblige the project to take into consideration : 1. The question of the compatibility of the size, mass and volumes of the art project in regard to the scientific mission. 2. The necessary absence of pollution of neighbouring scientific experiments through outgassing. 3. The question of vibration during flight and while landing. 4. The necessary sterilization of the object, as required by international law regarding any human artefact left on the ground of any planet of the solar system or any natural satellite. 5. The reliability of the materials used for the building of the art project.
‘Initiator and co-founder with the European Academy of the first think tank at UNESCO for the creation of a worldwide committee for anethical use of space for artistic purposes (Paris, November 1986).
J.-M. Philippe: Towards a work of art on planet Mars
In regards to my demands and eipectations as an artist in relation to the significance of the work of art, I wanted, in the first place, the art concept to convey an emotion immediately, in a very simple manner and that it be perfectly clear and impactful. In terms of readability, I wanted it to be necessarily understandable by everyone, independently of their society, culture and technocultural development. The artistic metaphor inherent in the concept had also to be limpid, perceptible by any potential spectator of any age. While apprehending the work of art, conscious and unconscious questions should rise, enriching everyone with a trace of it etched in his memory, leaving an original, indelible, revealing and searching image in his mind. Secondly, I wanted the work of art to use the technological know-how characteristic of our time, in order to prove that it could be not only tools allowing for new scientific applications, but also tools capable of enriching the artistic imagination. On the level of ethics, I wanted to invent a specific economic logic, that would require no sponsor, in order not to taint the concept with any commercial signature or any other corrupting influence. Therefore, I wanted only those industrials dealing professionally with space and specifically involved in the making of the concept to associate their name to the project. My challenge was indeed that the artistic metaphor had to be strong enough to carry its own weight in order to elicit enthusiasm and incite people to contribute to the realization of the project. Uniting various energies, the concept had to be a source of federation within the companies and institutions concerned, in order to promote voluntary giving of skills and know-how. Once these requirements would be fulfilled, the project could be talked about freely and could strive to reach its full symbolic and poetic potential to the largest number of people. Communicated to the public at large, via the international media (TV, radio, newspapers, CD-ROM, and other networks : Internet. . . ), the concept would realize its vocation as a complementary and original revealer of the space adventure, as a witness, actor and strategist of the technological mutation that affects humankind nowadays.
From the chosen technology...to
the proposed art concept
Regarding the technology representative of our times to be used in the making of the concept, shape memory alloys had long appeared to me as the most suited to represent the originality of contemporary technologies, because of their capacity to provoke and enrich the artistic intuition. Indeed these alloys present particular physical properties that allow them to “memorize” precise shapes at specific temperatures, according to precise learning protocols, shapes which they will “reconstruct” whenever they encounter these temperatures again. The significance of these alloys lies in the fact that, on the one hand, the phenomenon of memory both in inanimate matter (metals, plastics, ceramics,. . .) and in living matter (hair, viruses, sperm flagellum) has led to
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new hypotheses on the conditions of emergence of life on Earth and that, on the other hand, the study of these alloys has added a new dimension to the philosophical perception of the notion of memory. On the basis of the various characteristics of this strange material and within the constraints of the artistic demands I had set myself, the concept of the “Three Spheres of Mars” emerged and slowly affirmed itself. The concept proposed consists indeed of three threadlike spheres, 1Ocm in diameter; at their centre, metallic forms out of shape memory alloys will transform themselves, according to shapes learnt beforehand, in harmony with the temperature of Martian days and nights and likewise, Martian seasons. The first of the three spheres refers directly to the vegetal life on Earth and certain aquatic shapes developed in the oceans. Six calices open out and give way to 18 stamen each, which blossom and bloom in harmony with the local temperatures, like umbels on Earth. At night, the calices close and during the da:y these umbels swing and reach full blossom when they encounter the highest temperatures (see Figs l-3). The second threadlike sphere, of the same diameter, refers to the world of viruses. Several outgrowths of simple geometrical shapes curl up at night, in a torus, out of which they emerge at sunrise to transform themselves in random movements as the day goes by. This second sphere symbolically simulates a viral shape awaiting the adequate physico-chemical conditions necessary for its replication. The third sphere, threadlike and of like dimension, is more enigmatic : its core contains a shape without reference out of shape memory alloys, meant to perplex the mind of any intelligent observer who happens along. Absolutely original, this strange shape will not stop growing and transforming itself all day long, expanding and retracting itself according to the temperature variations, as though moved by a respiration. As an observer, one would not know if one should step back in mistrust, or if one should to the contrary, approach in order to try to “understand” it, to tame its movements, to finally make it its own. (In this case, such a “respiration” results from the use of very fine bands and threads of various shape memory alloys, with hystereses of various width and different transition points, while still located within the range of Martian temperatures.) Finally, the concept includes a specific setting for each sphere. The first sphere is bound to be fixed. It will be set next to a Rover, close to a scientific experiment requiring a remote controlled observation camera, so that images of it can be sent back to Earth and enable us to follow from time to time its evolution of shape. This additional performance will allow the man in the street to feel in a tangible and sensitive manner the adventures of man outside of the planet, thereby adding a poetic and dreamlike aspect to space exploration. Likewise, through an original collaboration between art and science, this fixed sphere will allow for a study of
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J.-M. Philippe: Towards a work of art on planet Mars
the reliability, in terms of metal fatigue, of the memory shape alloys in the live situation on Mars, adding thereby to our scientific knowledge on their behaviour. In a completely different manner of artistic emancipation, the two other spheres will take advantage of the existence of often violent winds and will let themselves be carried away, free in their movements, along their Martian destiny.
Technical description and required know-how In order to be carried out successfully, the project of the “Three Martian Spheres” requires state-of-the-art skills and technical know-how. Therefore, it needs the contribution of companies, institutions or laboratories mastering the memory shape alloy technology or directly concerned by the techniques linked to space. To date, the partners officially involved in the carrying out of the project are, in alphabetical order : Aerospatiale (site at Nantes), C.E.A. (Atomic Energy Commission), C.N.E.S. (National Centre for Space Studies), Ecole des Mines de Paris (Armines Laboratory, Fourt Centre for Materials, Evry), E.S.A. (European Space Agency), Intespace.
P.-M.
The quality of these partnerships and the technical knowhow and expertise allows complete control of the project on the technical side, as required in the specifications. Three major areas of expertise had to be addressed.
Regarding
the shape memory
l
Regarding the technical constraints of the spheres
to reduce the mass
In order to diminish the mass of the three spheres, a choice was made to construct the entire structure of the three spheres out of carbon fibre epoxy. (The fixed structure as seen on the diagram of sphere 1, consists of three diameters, three rings, six bridging and six calices.) The Aerospatiale in Nantes is in charge of their conception.
alloys
The technical constraints due to the Martian temperature and the chemical composition of the atmosphere of the planet required the identification of various shape memory alloys capable of fulfilling the specifications mentioned for each sphere. Nickel Titan alloys were selected for their proper resistance to the Martian atmosphere, their reliability in terms of metal fatigue and their temperature range. To make this project happen, the first difficulty to overcome was in fact to find a way to define and manufacture alloys with the following characteristics : l
ing-of very fine dimensions, never asked for before, will have to be performed in order to respect the requirement for a minimal mass for the three spheres. Each of the various partners formerly mentioned contributed with its specific skills to the fulfillment of these specifications. Raychem Corp. provided several alloy samples, which could answer the temperature constraints and my artistic expectations. The C.E.A. will have produced several new NiTi alloys in response to some other specific requirements and will take responsibility for their aging test. The Ecole des Mines de Paris, through its Armines Laboratory, will have performed the complete study for every alloy concerning the incidence of thermic treatments on the transition points. It will also take charge of the corrosion test under Martian atmosphere through a simulation of its temperature, pressure and chemical composition. On top of that, this Mars project is also benefiting from all the technical know-how that I have been able to acquire thanks to the worldwide leader of alloys, Raychem Corp., and the $1.5 billion of R&D required for the realization of the first large-scale sculptures I created.2
a proper reliability in terms of fatigue after a few thousand cycles ; transition points (austenite start, austenite finish, martensite start and martensite finish) located within the extreme temperatures to be encountered on the ground of Mars (- 140°C to + 20°C).
Moreover, the alloys each needed to demonstrate a different hysteresis and transformation slope in order to fulfil the artistic requirements. In addition, the relative uncertainty regarding the latitude at which the Rover will land requires a precise study of the thermic treatments allowing for an adjustment of the transition points. Finally, the manufacturing-lamination and wire draw-
Less than 30 g per sphere For example, the estimated mass of the first of the three spheres of 10 cm in diameter is as follows : l
l
Threadlike rigid sphere (three diameters, three rings, six bridging and six calices) : total mass of 10.3 g. Active shape memory alloy parts (NiTi): 17.51 g (see Fig. 4).
Therefore, the total mass of the first sphere equals 27.8 1 g ; allowing for a 10% margin of flexibility: its final mass amounts to 31 g. The two other spheres-whose shapes at their core are
‘In 1985, with a French partnership, he created the first prototype of a shape memory alloy sculpture: the “Hermaphrodite Torso”, out of CuZnAl, that would see its shape evolve from the torso of a (Greek) man at 25°C to the shape of a Greek female torso (Milo’s Venus) at 55°C and conversely. In 1989, he created the first prototype for a monumental shape memory alloy sculpture, out of NiTi : the “Totem of the Future”, with the worldwide leader for shape memory alloys, Raychem Corp. Between 1992 and 1995, he created several active shape memory alloy prototypes, among which is the “Door of the Two Infinite?’ (Annines Laboratory, Paris).
J.-M. Philippe:
Towards
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a work of art on planet Mars
Fig. 1. “Sphere de Mars” No. 1 at T< -80°C (sphere o = 10cm; mass < 30 g). Infographiste : Rend Loci&o
No. 1 :
de Mars” No. 1 at - 8O”C< T< -60°C Fig. 2. “Sphere (0 = 10 cm, mass cc 30 g). Infographiste : Renk Loci&o
de Mars” No. 1 at -3O”C< T< + 5°C Fig. 3. “Sphere (o = 10 cm, mass < 30 g). Infographiste : Ren& Loci&o
J.-M. Philippe: Towards a work of art on planet Mars Carbon Fiber Epoxy
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:
Shape memory Alloy
:
Fie. 4. “Snhere de Mars” No. 1 (O = 10cm. mass<30 g). Six calices, three rings, six bridgings, six umbels : 6 x 18 stamens not yet fully defined-should amount to an individual mass of 25-27 g. Therefore, the entire project-that of symbolically landing an art component on the ground of Mars, consisting of the three small spheres of 1Ocm in diameterrepresents a mass of less than 90 g and an external volume of 3 dm3.
Regarding the various tests leading to a qual@ication for aflight and landing on Mars The various tests required (in particular, vibration, outgassing and sterilization tests) will be performed by the C.N.E.S. of Toulouse (Program for Martian Exploration Department and Intespace). Beforehand, a simulation will point out the possible mechanical weak points in the planning.
Workplan and timeframe The current workplan envisages the making of the first prototypes of the first sphere in June 1996 and of the two other spheres in October 1996. The final qualification of the three prototypes at scale 1 should be done in early 1997. To date, only the choice of the Martian mission among the different upcoming exploration campaigns remains to be made. This identification is under the responsibility of the European Space Agency, 2001 being set as the ultimate deadline. The chosen mission might well be lead by NASA, by ESA or involve a joint effort.
Conclusion Today man questions himself same time compartmentalization
on his future, and at the within professions and
extreme specialization lead to a certain shortsightedness. Decompartmentalizing the logic of professions and fertilizing the practices of some through the insight of others can entail a new form of responsibility while provoking an opening up of conscience. In this sense, the project of three spheres on planet Mars can be considered as an initiating seed and an illustration of this decompartmentalizing between art, science and a new form of understanding between individuals. Through the individual energies and technical skills it has drawn together, this project has already demonstrated that one idea can unite the generosity of individuals and corporations, outside a strict commercial logic. Through this project of three spheres on Mars, we also revive a tradition : there are indeed numerous examples in past civilizations where the best of the human species gathered and worked together on a common project, be it the pyramids or the cathedrals to name just a few examples of effective convergence. During my presentation at the InterMarsNet Workshop in Capri, September 1995, I insisted on the fact that we needed to invent a new relationship between the men and women of science and the artist, between the individual and the institution, in order to let the new art metaphor take shape as an expression representative of our time. Two months after my talk in Capri, I am able today to affirm that the quite odd challenge of landing a symbolic (though real) work of art on the ground of Mars is about to be won: besides the date of launch, the entire project is under control in terms of gathering the necessary theoretical know-how, the necessary practical means for its realization and the human skills required, thanks to voluntary giving of skills and know-how. This unique economic logic adopted was only to warrant to the work of art a full transparency and poetic readability. Furthermore, this collective creation seems to me to respond to a true need: art has an essential role to play nowadays, since its “universal” power as a catalysis on
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the mind reinforces man’s questions about himself, since it puts .his acts into a “different” perspective and opens original windows of perception through the unnamed dreams of each human being. Will we prove to be the equals of the men of the Italian Renaissance, who succeeded in decompartmentalizing knowledge and know-how bringing together artists, scientists, poets, philosophers and theologists, who together through intense dialogue among themselves, were able to visualize and materialize new ideas? I dare say here out loud that I hope we will. I hope so all the more so that I am trying to contribute to it myself. I believe in the virtue of the decompartmentalization of the intelligence, through the surprise it brings about and the effects it anticipates. And even if the decompartmentalization is only in its infancy, I think that the joy of everyone’s mind will blossom, when a mission to Mars has dropped a Rover and when the Rover has freed a human dream, through three small spheres with active shape memory alloys at their core. As a proof for the effect of decompartmentalization, I expect from this that the children’s eyes stare wide-open and shine a little brighter that day and that, in turn, they will think that at each moment, the world is to be reinvented. Note added in proof. At publication of this article, volume constraints have obliged us to abandon the “Three Spheres of Mars” concept to the profit of one sole evolutionary shape memory alloy sphere, enriched with an “offering” from the Planet Earth to Planet Mars. Placed at the core of the sphere, this offering consists of a Zircon crystal containing four symbolic inclusions
J.-M. Philippe:
Towards
a work of art on planet Mars
from Earth: water from the oceans, air from the atmosphere, arable soil and granite (indeed, Earth is the sole planet in the solar system to have generated this stone). This crystal will be visible during the Martian day and masked at night, as a result of the transformations the shape memory alloy parts will undergo. Since the dimensions of space that could be made available for a work of art are not yet known, other concepts are currently being studied to- accommodate even more drastic volume constraints (< 1 dm3). These concepts will have several characteristics in common with the sphere just described: rigid parts of carbon epoxy, shape memory alloy parts educated to evolve in harmony with the Martian temperatures, and Zircon crystal containing four inclusions, as mentioned above. It is not yet decided, which mission will take the work of art aboard: it could be the NASA 1998 Mission, the NASA 2001 Mission or a subsequent mission. In any case, the Sphere of Mars with four inclusions is currently being realized, as an exact replica of the model destined for Mars, except for its reaction to temperature: its shape memory alloy transition points will be adapted to the temperatures on Earth. This first prototype will be completed by the end of the first quarter of 1997.
References Encyclopbdie ThCma Larousse, Paris, 1993. Leonardo, Art and shape memory alloys, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 117-120, 1989. LBonardo, Space art : “a call for a Space Art Ethics Committee”, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 129-132, 1990. Moderne et Apr&s, Editions Autrement, Paris, 1987. Nouvelle Encyclopedic Diderot, La science et la Metamorphose des Arts, Edition des Presses Universitaires Francaises, Paris, 1994. Spirali, Arte e matematica, Milano, 198 1.
Pergamon
Towards a work of art on planet Mars Jean-Marc
Received
Philippe*
for publication
6 March
1996
*European artist, born in France, of scientific university background, uses new technologies, like brushes and gouges, as tools for his art creation. Co-founder of art in space: laid the theoretical founding stones between 1970 and 1975, described several principles of creation in space of artificial light-based phenomena-obtained through reflection, laser beams or electron emission-that can be seen from Earth on the firmament. Since 1975, he has described more than 15 different art concepts bringing together space know-how and artistic imagination: the concept of artificial aurora borealis, fixed artificial stars, crown of stars around Earth, space fireworks, light-based materialization of the centre of the Moon, satellite of future archeology, lunar and Martian sculptures, orbital fairy lights, electromagnetical finery for Earth. . Author of the operation “Messages des Hommes a 1’Univers” in which more than 10,500 messages to be sent into the universe, were collected for 6 months beforehand among the people from France and its overseas territory. The messages were all broadcast by the radiotelescope of Nancay on January 27,1987, on the wavelength of 80 cm, towards the centre of the galaxy (operation supported by the international scientific community). Pioneer of the interaction between art and shape memory alloys : since 1983, he has developed technical know-how linked to this technology to be used to accomplish his artistic expectations ; he created his first shape memory alloy sculpture in 1985. Winner of the ISAST New Horizon Award 1987 (Berkeley, U.S.A.). Member of the Academic Europeenne des Sciences, des Arts et des Lettres.
Man, art and space : a reflection One of the human mind’s most beautiful abilities lies maybe in its capacity to deal with symbolic abstraction through artistic sensibility: on the one hand, in the creation process of a work of art-from the genesis of the concept to its achievement-and on the other hand, in the power through which this piece of art will be perceived, deciphered and integrated by the mind of its audience. The fruit of 4.5 million years of evolution, the human species began to develop artistic expression 30000years ago, a scientific approach a few hundred years ago, and within the last century a surmising ability for tech-
J.-M. Philippe:
1464
nological know-how dealing with the infinitely great and the infinitesimal. Indeed, through space exploration-perhaps the zenith of mankind’s exploits in the second half of the twentieth century-man now ventures beyond his own planet, emphasizing exclusively his scientific and technological traits, a testimony to the abilities he learnt to harness in his quest for knowledge. When he launches planetary probes-if one analyses the qualities prerequisite to their conception and making-man presents and represents himself as an intelligent, daring being, able to explore hostile environments, capable of both questioning himself and looking for answers through the scientific method and the technological know-how presently at his disposal. For reasons stemming from the strict logic associated with professional practice and its compartmentalization (by this is meant : targeted scientific purposes, mass constraints, mission costs, . . . ), man today has excluded the artistic dimension from space exploration. And one may regret that this exclusion has happened without any real reflection on the subject matter, when in fact its inclusion could lead to decisive advantages, be it in the short, medium or long term. Focusing on the long term, the association of an artistic sensibility with the interplanetary missions of the Martian kind, could have allowed us to come to a new questioning of ourselves, while perceiving as of today that such probes could in the future be considered as archeological pieces, abandoned by humans of our era on a planet in the solar system. More immediately, focusing on the short term, the association of art with space exploration could have allowed the man in the street to nourish his perception of the latter through both a rational scientific process and an intuitive perception. Space exploration could thereby be perceived, not only as solely devoted to the desire of fulfilling man’s thirst for knowledge, in terms of facts and figures, but also as an expression of the new challenge posed for human responsibility to manage the choice, development and use of the technologies he wanted to acquire. It would not only speak about the conquest of space but also about its significance, not only about science but also about the meaning of science, not only about achievement but also about what these achievements mean. In this regard, space exploration could play the role of an active vector and major revealer of man’s emancipation, and one may expect that it contribute to give man again the legitimate proud to belong to his species, and through this sense of pride, that it remind him of his duty of arbitrage in the managing of knowledge and technological know-how in regard of their incidence on the future of man’s destiny. As my experience as an artist confirms to me more every day, the main virtue of the symbolic metaphor lies in the fact that it renders a work of art naturally and immediately integrable by the human mind. Although a work of art is a tangible object created out of concrete materials, the actual principle of its deciphering by the mind allows the mind to integrate infinite complexities and bring together the most remote spheres. Niels Bohr stated it in these
Towards
a work of art on planet Mars
“Art expresses instantaneously the totality of a situation.” And it seems to me more than ever that no society, especially a technocultural one, can afford to do without the metaphors its artists propose, if it wants to have an effective means to gain more insight into itself and if it wants to guarantee a mature vision regarding its future. The introduction of an artistic sensibility aboard certain spatial missions could clearly contribute to : words:
Exalt the performances of the international scientific community. Rekindle the interest of the larger public for space and space missions. Allow the public’s mind to reassociate grand dreams with space missions. (This dimension of dreams has lately been overshadowed, even though the man in the street has a right to have them, especially when it is with his money that space missions are financed.) Allow everyone to better measure the stakes of his time. On an even larger scale, one could also argue that by enhancing man’s most powerful ventures, man will believe more in his destiny. And there is a certain urgency for it in a time of self-questioning. The purpose of the following is to demonstrate how by adding judiciously a few dozen grammes in one of the coming probes to Mars, the concerns expressed above could find an answer. It will be explained how we can add an artistic sensibility to a coming interplanetary Martian mission through these few dozen grammes, while respecting the constraints of the men and women of science, the proper use of public finances and the principles of ethics.’
Mars and the artistic dream : different levels of demands Putting oneself in the situation of imagining a work of art to be sent to Mars is dizzying and pushes to their limit all kinds of demands : technical, symbolic, ethical. . . On the technical level, the physical constraints inherent in the trip Earth/Mars and in the nature of the mission itself oblige the project to take into consideration : 1. The question of the compatibility of the size, mass and volumes of the art project in regard to the scientific mission. 2. The necessary absence of pollution of neighbouring scientific experiments through outgassing. 3. The question of vibration during flight and while landing. 4. The necessary sterilization of the object, as required by international law regarding any human artefact left on the ground of any planet of the solar system or any natural satellite. 5. The reliability of the materials used for the building of the art project.
‘Initiator and co-founder with the European Academy of the first think tank at UNESCO for the creation of a worldwide committee for anethical use of space for artistic purposes (Paris, November 1986).
J.-M. Philippe: Towards a work of art on planet Mars
In regards to my demands and eipectations as an artist in relation to the significance of the work of art, I wanted, in the first place, the art concept to convey an emotion immediately, in a very simple manner and that it be perfectly clear and impactful. In terms of readability, I wanted it to be necessarily understandable by everyone, independently of their society, culture and technocultural development. The artistic metaphor inherent in the concept had also to be limpid, perceptible by any potential spectator of any age. While apprehending the work of art, conscious and unconscious questions should rise, enriching everyone with a trace of it etched in his memory, leaving an original, indelible, revealing and searching image in his mind. Secondly, I wanted the work of art to use the technological know-how characteristic of our time, in order to prove that it could be not only tools allowing for new scientific applications, but also tools capable of enriching the artistic imagination. On the level of ethics, I wanted to invent a specific economic logic, that would require no sponsor, in order not to taint the concept with any commercial signature or any other corrupting influence. Therefore, I wanted only those industrials dealing professionally with space and specifically involved in the making of the concept to associate their name to the project. My challenge was indeed that the artistic metaphor had to be strong enough to carry its own weight in order to elicit enthusiasm and incite people to contribute to the realization of the project. Uniting various energies, the concept had to be a source of federation within the companies and institutions concerned, in order to promote voluntary giving of skills and know-how. Once these requirements would be fulfilled, the project could be talked about freely and could strive to reach its full symbolic and poetic potential to the largest number of people. Communicated to the public at large, via the international media (TV, radio, newspapers, CD-ROM, and other networks : Internet. . . ), the concept would realize its vocation as a complementary and original revealer of the space adventure, as a witness, actor and strategist of the technological mutation that affects humankind nowadays.
From the chosen technology...to
the proposed art concept
Regarding the technology representative of our times to be used in the making of the concept, shape memory alloys had long appeared to me as the most suited to represent the originality of contemporary technologies, because of their capacity to provoke and enrich the artistic intuition. Indeed these alloys present particular physical properties that allow them to “memorize” precise shapes at specific temperatures, according to precise learning protocols, shapes which they will “reconstruct” whenever they encounter these temperatures again. The significance of these alloys lies in the fact that, on the one hand, the phenomenon of memory both in inanimate matter (metals, plastics, ceramics,. . .) and in living matter (hair, viruses, sperm flagellum) has led to
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new hypotheses on the conditions of emergence of life on Earth and that, on the other hand, the study of these alloys has added a new dimension to the philosophical perception of the notion of memory. On the basis of the various characteristics of this strange material and within the constraints of the artistic demands I had set myself, the concept of the “Three Spheres of Mars” emerged and slowly affirmed itself. The concept proposed consists indeed of three threadlike spheres, 1Ocm in diameter; at their centre, metallic forms out of shape memory alloys will transform themselves, according to shapes learnt beforehand, in harmony with the temperature of Martian days and nights and likewise, Martian seasons. The first of the three spheres refers directly to the vegetal life on Earth and certain aquatic shapes developed in the oceans. Six calices open out and give way to 18 stamen each, which blossom and bloom in harmony with the local temperatures, like umbels on Earth. At night, the calices close and during the da:y these umbels swing and reach full blossom when they encounter the highest temperatures (see Figs l-3). The second threadlike sphere, of the same diameter, refers to the world of viruses. Several outgrowths of simple geometrical shapes curl up at night, in a torus, out of which they emerge at sunrise to transform themselves in random movements as the day goes by. This second sphere symbolically simulates a viral shape awaiting the adequate physico-chemical conditions necessary for its replication. The third sphere, threadlike and of like dimension, is more enigmatic : its core contains a shape without reference out of shape memory alloys, meant to perplex the mind of any intelligent observer who happens along. Absolutely original, this strange shape will not stop growing and transforming itself all day long, expanding and retracting itself according to the temperature variations, as though moved by a respiration. As an observer, one would not know if one should step back in mistrust, or if one should to the contrary, approach in order to try to “understand” it, to tame its movements, to finally make it its own. (In this case, such a “respiration” results from the use of very fine bands and threads of various shape memory alloys, with hystereses of various width and different transition points, while still located within the range of Martian temperatures.) Finally, the concept includes a specific setting for each sphere. The first sphere is bound to be fixed. It will be set next to a Rover, close to a scientific experiment requiring a remote controlled observation camera, so that images of it can be sent back to Earth and enable us to follow from time to time its evolution of shape. This additional performance will allow the man in the street to feel in a tangible and sensitive manner the adventures of man outside of the planet, thereby adding a poetic and dreamlike aspect to space exploration. Likewise, through an original collaboration between art and science, this fixed sphere will allow for a study of
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J.-M. Philippe: Towards a work of art on planet Mars
the reliability, in terms of metal fatigue, of the memory shape alloys in the live situation on Mars, adding thereby to our scientific knowledge on their behaviour. In a completely different manner of artistic emancipation, the two other spheres will take advantage of the existence of often violent winds and will let themselves be carried away, free in their movements, along their Martian destiny.
Technical description and required know-how In order to be carried out successfully, the project of the “Three Martian Spheres” requires state-of-the-art skills and technical know-how. Therefore, it needs the contribution of companies, institutions or laboratories mastering the memory shape alloy technology or directly concerned by the techniques linked to space. To date, the partners officially involved in the carrying out of the project are, in alphabetical order : Aerospatiale (site at Nantes), C.E.A. (Atomic Energy Commission), C.N.E.S. (National Centre for Space Studies), Ecole des Mines de Paris (Armines Laboratory, Fourt Centre for Materials, Evry), E.S.A. (European Space Agency), Intespace.
P.-M.
The quality of these partnerships and the technical knowhow and expertise allows complete control of the project on the technical side, as required in the specifications. Three major areas of expertise had to be addressed.
Regarding
the shape memory
l
Regarding the technical constraints of the spheres
to reduce the mass
In order to diminish the mass of the three spheres, a choice was made to construct the entire structure of the three spheres out of carbon fibre epoxy. (The fixed structure as seen on the diagram of sphere 1, consists of three diameters, three rings, six bridging and six calices.) The Aerospatiale in Nantes is in charge of their conception.
alloys
The technical constraints due to the Martian temperature and the chemical composition of the atmosphere of the planet required the identification of various shape memory alloys capable of fulfilling the specifications mentioned for each sphere. Nickel Titan alloys were selected for their proper resistance to the Martian atmosphere, their reliability in terms of metal fatigue and their temperature range. To make this project happen, the first difficulty to overcome was in fact to find a way to define and manufacture alloys with the following characteristics : l
ing-of very fine dimensions, never asked for before, will have to be performed in order to respect the requirement for a minimal mass for the three spheres. Each of the various partners formerly mentioned contributed with its specific skills to the fulfillment of these specifications. Raychem Corp. provided several alloy samples, which could answer the temperature constraints and my artistic expectations. The C.E.A. will have produced several new NiTi alloys in response to some other specific requirements and will take responsibility for their aging test. The Ecole des Mines de Paris, through its Armines Laboratory, will have performed the complete study for every alloy concerning the incidence of thermic treatments on the transition points. It will also take charge of the corrosion test under Martian atmosphere through a simulation of its temperature, pressure and chemical composition. On top of that, this Mars project is also benefiting from all the technical know-how that I have been able to acquire thanks to the worldwide leader of alloys, Raychem Corp., and the $1.5 billion of R&D required for the realization of the first large-scale sculptures I created.2
a proper reliability in terms of fatigue after a few thousand cycles ; transition points (austenite start, austenite finish, martensite start and martensite finish) located within the extreme temperatures to be encountered on the ground of Mars (- 140°C to + 20°C).
Moreover, the alloys each needed to demonstrate a different hysteresis and transformation slope in order to fulfil the artistic requirements. In addition, the relative uncertainty regarding the latitude at which the Rover will land requires a precise study of the thermic treatments allowing for an adjustment of the transition points. Finally, the manufacturing-lamination and wire draw-
Less than 30 g per sphere For example, the estimated mass of the first of the three spheres of 10 cm in diameter is as follows : l
l
Threadlike rigid sphere (three diameters, three rings, six bridging and six calices) : total mass of 10.3 g. Active shape memory alloy parts (NiTi): 17.51 g (see Fig. 4).
Therefore, the total mass of the first sphere equals 27.8 1 g ; allowing for a 10% margin of flexibility: its final mass amounts to 31 g. The two other spheres-whose shapes at their core are
‘In 1985, with a French partnership, he created the first prototype of a shape memory alloy sculpture: the “Hermaphrodite Torso”, out of CuZnAl, that would see its shape evolve from the torso of a (Greek) man at 25°C to the shape of a Greek female torso (Milo’s Venus) at 55°C and conversely. In 1989, he created the first prototype for a monumental shape memory alloy sculpture, out of NiTi : the “Totem of the Future”, with the worldwide leader for shape memory alloys, Raychem Corp. Between 1992 and 1995, he created several active shape memory alloy prototypes, among which is the “Door of the Two Infinite?’ (Annines Laboratory, Paris).
J.-M. Philippe:
Towards
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a work of art on planet Mars
Fig. 1. “Sphere de Mars” No. 1 at T< -80°C (sphere o = 10cm; mass < 30 g). Infographiste : Rend Loci&o
No. 1 :
de Mars” No. 1 at - 8O”C< T< -60°C Fig. 2. “Sphere (0 = 10 cm, mass cc 30 g). Infographiste : Renk Loci&o
de Mars” No. 1 at -3O”C< T< + 5°C Fig. 3. “Sphere (o = 10 cm, mass < 30 g). Infographiste : Ren& Loci&o
J.-M. Philippe: Towards a work of art on planet Mars Carbon Fiber Epoxy
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:
Shape memory Alloy
:
Fie. 4. “Snhere de Mars” No. 1 (O = 10cm. mass<30 g). Six calices, three rings, six bridgings, six umbels : 6 x 18 stamens not yet fully defined-should amount to an individual mass of 25-27 g. Therefore, the entire project-that of symbolically landing an art component on the ground of Mars, consisting of the three small spheres of 1Ocm in diameterrepresents a mass of less than 90 g and an external volume of 3 dm3.
Regarding the various tests leading to a qual@ication for aflight and landing on Mars The various tests required (in particular, vibration, outgassing and sterilization tests) will be performed by the C.N.E.S. of Toulouse (Program for Martian Exploration Department and Intespace). Beforehand, a simulation will point out the possible mechanical weak points in the planning.
Workplan and timeframe The current workplan envisages the making of the first prototypes of the first sphere in June 1996 and of the two other spheres in October 1996. The final qualification of the three prototypes at scale 1 should be done in early 1997. To date, only the choice of the Martian mission among the different upcoming exploration campaigns remains to be made. This identification is under the responsibility of the European Space Agency, 2001 being set as the ultimate deadline. The chosen mission might well be lead by NASA, by ESA or involve a joint effort.
Conclusion Today man questions himself same time compartmentalization
on his future, and at the within professions and
extreme specialization lead to a certain shortsightedness. Decompartmentalizing the logic of professions and fertilizing the practices of some through the insight of others can entail a new form of responsibility while provoking an opening up of conscience. In this sense, the project of three spheres on planet Mars can be considered as an initiating seed and an illustration of this decompartmentalizing between art, science and a new form of understanding between individuals. Through the individual energies and technical skills it has drawn together, this project has already demonstrated that one idea can unite the generosity of individuals and corporations, outside a strict commercial logic. Through this project of three spheres on Mars, we also revive a tradition : there are indeed numerous examples in past civilizations where the best of the human species gathered and worked together on a common project, be it the pyramids or the cathedrals to name just a few examples of effective convergence. During my presentation at the InterMarsNet Workshop in Capri, September 1995, I insisted on the fact that we needed to invent a new relationship between the men and women of science and the artist, between the individual and the institution, in order to let the new art metaphor take shape as an expression representative of our time. Two months after my talk in Capri, I am able today to affirm that the quite odd challenge of landing a symbolic (though real) work of art on the ground of Mars is about to be won: besides the date of launch, the entire project is under control in terms of gathering the necessary theoretical know-how, the necessary practical means for its realization and the human skills required, thanks to voluntary giving of skills and know-how. This unique economic logic adopted was only to warrant to the work of art a full transparency and poetic readability. Furthermore, this collective creation seems to me to respond to a true need: art has an essential role to play nowadays, since its “universal” power as a catalysis on
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the mind reinforces man’s questions about himself, since it puts .his acts into a “different” perspective and opens original windows of perception through the unnamed dreams of each human being. Will we prove to be the equals of the men of the Italian Renaissance, who succeeded in decompartmentalizing knowledge and know-how bringing together artists, scientists, poets, philosophers and theologists, who together through intense dialogue among themselves, were able to visualize and materialize new ideas? I dare say here out loud that I hope we will. I hope so all the more so that I am trying to contribute to it myself. I believe in the virtue of the decompartmentalization of the intelligence, through the surprise it brings about and the effects it anticipates. And even if the decompartmentalization is only in its infancy, I think that the joy of everyone’s mind will blossom, when a mission to Mars has dropped a Rover and when the Rover has freed a human dream, through three small spheres with active shape memory alloys at their core. As a proof for the effect of decompartmentalization, I expect from this that the children’s eyes stare wide-open and shine a little brighter that day and that, in turn, they will think that at each moment, the world is to be reinvented. Note added in proof. At publication of this article, volume constraints have obliged us to abandon the “Three Spheres of Mars” concept to the profit of one sole evolutionary shape memory alloy sphere, enriched with an “offering” from the Planet Earth to Planet Mars. Placed at the core of the sphere, this offering consists of a Zircon crystal containing four symbolic inclusions
J.-M. Philippe:
Towards
a work of art on planet Mars
from Earth: water from the oceans, air from the atmosphere, arable soil and granite (indeed, Earth is the sole planet in the solar system to have generated this stone). This crystal will be visible during the Martian day and masked at night, as a result of the transformations the shape memory alloy parts will undergo. Since the dimensions of space that could be made available for a work of art are not yet known, other concepts are currently being studied to- accommodate even more drastic volume constraints (< 1 dm3). These concepts will have several characteristics in common with the sphere just described: rigid parts of carbon epoxy, shape memory alloy parts educated to evolve in harmony with the Martian temperatures, and Zircon crystal containing four inclusions, as mentioned above. It is not yet decided, which mission will take the work of art aboard: it could be the NASA 1998 Mission, the NASA 2001 Mission or a subsequent mission. In any case, the Sphere of Mars with four inclusions is currently being realized, as an exact replica of the model destined for Mars, except for its reaction to temperature: its shape memory alloy transition points will be adapted to the temperatures on Earth. This first prototype will be completed by the end of the first quarter of 1997.
References Encyclopbdie ThCma Larousse, Paris, 1993. Leonardo, Art and shape memory alloys, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 117-120, 1989. LBonardo, Space art : “a call for a Space Art Ethics Committee”, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 129-132, 1990. Moderne et Apr&s, Editions Autrement, Paris, 1987. Nouvelle Encyclopedic Diderot, La science et la Metamorphose des Arts, Edition des Presses Universitaires Francaises, Paris, 1994. Spirali, Arte e matematica, Milano, 198 1.