Music concert in space: How is NASA using hip-hop music

NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) has made history by transmitting an inspirational message and lyrics from Missy Elliott’s song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to Venus. This marks the first time a hip-hop song has been sent to space.

The transmission took place at 10:05 a.m. PDT on Friday, July 12, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. It utilized the DSN’s advanced radio antennas for the historic broadcast.

As NASA’s most extensive telecommunication system, the DSN plays a crucial role in tracking, sending commands, and receiving data from spacecraft exploring the moon and beyond. The DSN previously transmitted The Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”

Brittany Brown from NASA’s Office of Communications spearheaded the collaboration, highlighting Missy Elliott’s history of incorporating space themes and futuristic visuals in her music.

The song traveled approximately 158 million miles (254 million kilometers) to Venus, taking nearly 14 minutes at the speed of light. The 34-meter (112-foot) DSS-13 radio dish antenna, nicknamed Venus, was used for the transmission.

Missy Elliott expressed both excitement and humility at the opportunity to share her music with the universe. She chose Venus for its symbolism of strength, beauty, and empowerment.

Two upcoming NASA missions, DAVINCI and VERITAS, are set to explore Venus and will send data back using the DSN. These missions are scheduled to launch in 2029 and 2031, respectively.

NASA’s DSN is also supporting the European Space Agency’s EnVision mission to Venus. A JPL team is developing the mission’s Venus Synthetic Aperture Radar (VenSAR).

Credits: NASA