Orbital Litchi - Breaking Through the Looking Glass
- Paper number
IAC-07-E1.4.05
- Author
Dr. Guy Pignolet, Science Sainte Rose, La Reunion
- Year
2007
- Abstract
Thanks to the especially innovative “Fly Your Stuff” proposal by visionary space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow of Las Vegas, USA, a litchi shell from Reunion Island, Southern Europe, will fly with a Russian launcher and orbit the Earth aboard the Genesis-II inflatable experimental space hotel module.
An empty shell of a litchi, a typical tasty tropical fruit that is grown in Reunion Island, and semi-dried by some farmers using traditional Chinese techniques, has been especially prepared to become a spacefaring orbital litchi, and the description of this procesSing is the technical core of the presentation.
But the preparation of the IAF paper itself, with all the clout of the International Astronautical Federation, has become the base for promoting the epic of this minimal yet great spaceflight and solliciting both public and expert reaction about the outreach impact of the orbital litchi, both in terms of self-image for the inhabitants of “Planet Reunion” and in terms of the image of La Reunion for the other passengers of Spaceship Earth.
Going thus through a reversal of usual paradigms, this presentation is to be more than a report on previous action done, but rather a source and inspiration for innovative outreach action.
CO-AUTHORS : Robert Boris, Institute of Images in the Indian Ocean, Reunion, Southern Europe Casasanto Valerie, Space Outreach, United States of America
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-E1.4.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.