Music by iconic artists like Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, Janis Joplin, and many more has been immortalized on the moon’s surface within an “arts-centric time capsule” by the Odysseus lunar lander.
Launched by SpaceX, Odysseus successfully reached the moon’s surface on Thursday, February 22nd, carrying a digitized archive of music, photos, artwork, and more. This time capsule serves as a tribute to human culture and includes works ranging from ancient Sumerian music notation to modern masterpieces by renowned artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Timbaland.
Enclosed in a durable glass, nickel, and NanoFiche structure, the time capsule is designed to withstand millions of years. It showcases works from 1969, in honor of the Apollo 11 landing and Woodstock festival, featuring artists like Marvin Gaye, Santana, Chuck Berry, and The Who. The collection also includes exclusive recordings, like early Jimi Hendrix tracks prior to the Jimi Hendrix Experience formation.
Space Blue, led by Dallas Santana, curated the project in collaboration with Beverly Hills Productions and Melody Trust, ensuring the inclusion of never-before-released songs and valuable artistic content. Despite a minor setback during landing, where Odysseus toppled over, the time capsule remains a monumental achievement as the first American craft to land on the moon since 1972 and the first private entity to do so.
Notably, the project was curated independently to address musicians’ concerns about Elon Musk’s involvement. Santana reassured artists that Musk had no influence on the selection process, maintaining the integrity of the archive.
For detailed insights, refer to the full report on the time capsule by Billboard.