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Voyager Space
Nanoracks LLC
Moon Gallery Foundation

status:

Restoring the Geophysical Dynamics of the Earth < > Moon Relationship

Jorick de Quaasteniet

2022

plexiglass, aluminum

1 x 1 x 1 cm

A small cube containing an aluminium sphere. The work reflects on the consequences of future lunar mining. Part of the Moon Gallery Project.

Restoring the Geophysical Dynamics of the Earth < > Moon Relationship

What happens when we only take from the Moon and don’t give back? Will we disturb the equilibrium that has kept our moon in orbit around the planet that we inhabit? If so, what could be the consequences? To avoid this, I propose to somewhat restore the balance by returning a small amount of aluminum, one of the most common metals in both the Earth’s and the Moon’s surface, back to the Moon. With lunar mining rapidly becoming a thing of the near future instead of the distant future, we ought to think about what might be potential outcomes. We only have to look at our past to see how quickly the human species becomes expert at something that’s profitable. At the beginning of the industrial age, people weren’t worried about the relatively small amounts of pollutants they pumped in the air. The open air was seen as something limitless. 200 years later we are dealing with the consequences. Could lunar mining have a similar fate?

Jorick de Quaasteniet

Jorick de Quaasteniet

The Netherlands

Collection:

Moon Gallery

Moon Gallery Foundation

Moon Gallery

Full Record Details

Restoring the Geophysical Dynamics of the Earth < > Moon Relationship

Launch date​:

Launch  mission:

Launch provider:

Launch location:

Launching state:

Launch vehicle COSPAR id:

19 Feb 2022

Antares 230+ / NG-17 Cygnus resupply mission

Northrop Grumman

Wallops Island, VA, USA

USA

2022-015A

Destination:

Host:

Host COSPAR id:

LEO, International Space Station (ISS)

International Space Station

1998-067A

Return date:

Return vehicle:

Landing Location:

Return vehicle COSPAR id:

Current status:

11 January 2023

Dragon CRS-26

Gulf of Mexico

2022-159A

Returned

Project partners:

Voyager Space
Nanoracks LLC
Moon Gallery Foundation

Title:

Artist:

Date:

Medium:

Dimensions:

Genre:

IAAA art style:

Collection:

COSPAR id:

Restoring the Geophysical Dynamics of the Earth < > Moon Relationship

Jorick de Quaasteniet

2022

plexiglass, aluminum

1 x 1 x 1 cm

Sculpture

Moon Gallery

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