NFTs in Space! From ThankYouX to Clair de Lune

NFTs in Space sounds like more of a bad movie title than an actual reality. Thanks to some pioneering artists, however, digital assets have exited our Earthly orbit. Furthermore, some artists like ThankYouX are releasing NFTs to commemorate their artwork going to space. What is going on with NFT artists sending artwork to space?

Why are NFT Artists Sending Artwork into Space?

Axiom Space, a private spaceflight company, tapped street artist turned digital creator ThankYouX to contribute art for their most recent mission. ThankYouX, also known as Ryan Wilson, has a distinctive art style that blends traditional elements with futuristic design. Axiomed reached out to ThankYouX after finding out that the has a strong interest in space.

On May 21, ThankYouX’s painting, “Urge for Perfection”, was launched into space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The painting spent roughly 15 hours on the rocket before docking at the International Space Station. During that time, Urge to Perfection floated around in zero gravity aboard the crewed mission. To celebrate the occasion, ThankYoux also released an open edition NFT to commemorate the moment. Additionally, ThankYouX will auction off the painting when it reenters Earth’s atmosphere.

This isn’t the first time an NFT artist has sent work into Space though.

Which Other NFTs Have Gone to Space?

Micah Johnson is a former Major League Baseball player turned NFT artist/project founder. His 15k PFP project Akutars features a young black astronaut wearing a space helmet. Johnson created the project to represent possibilities and dreams, especially to underrepresented populations.

On July 28, 2021, Johnson created an NFT of a short video entitled “Why Not Me” featuring Akutars protagonist Aku and a digitalized version of a flag worn by Buzz Aldrin in 1969. It was sent to a server on the International Space Station by Nanoracks LLC and Artemis Music Entertainment, earning it the honor of being one of the first NFTs to complete the 125,000 mile orbit around Earth.

After the voyage, Why Not Me was auctioned off with proceeds going to Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. It sold for 18.57 ETH, or about $58,000 at the time.

Other Interstellar NFTs

Artemis Music Entertainment also sent a music NFT to space along with Why Not Me.  The digital file contained a rendition of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune performed by Hong Kong-based pianist Wing-Chong Kam. It orbited Earth for nearly 90 minutes before it was transmitted back to Earth to be minted as an NFT.

This feat is just the beginning though. Artemis Music Entertainment sent Clair De Lune to test its Artemis Space Network, a a commercial platform for art, music, and entertainment. This platform will be used to send media to the ISS, the moon, Mars, and any other interstellar locations humans someday find themselves.

NFTs Created in the Stratosphere!

Xin Liu created an NFT series called Atlas that created cartographic images using radio frequencies from retired weather satellites. These images resembled Xerox copies of surveillance photos of Earth’s various mountainous regions. During COVID-19 quarantine, Liu transformed these signals into an NFT series. In the process, Liu is credited with making the first NFTs created in space.

Web3 is all about innovation. It’s no surprise, therefore, that NFT artists are already looking for ways expand outside our Earthy domain.