Standort: fm4.ORF.at / Meldung: "Today's Webtip: Space Music 2"

Dave Dempsey

Dave digs the Dirt, webtips, IT-memes and other online geekery. Also as Podcast.

7. 4. 2011 - 15:14

Today's Webtip: Space Music 2

help someone else get their music into space.

NASA seems like an interesting place to work. I mean aside from the whole "let's make stuff to shoot people into space" bit. The whole place just seems to have a rather interesting work culture.

Did you know that they have been waking astronauts up to music since the Apollo missions? I don't think anyone even imagined clock radios at the time. Of course, NASA has usually been a bit ahead of the curve.

In this case, Mission Control would sing or playback songs that they thought seemed appropriate. It wasn't just a nicer experience than some nasty old alarm clock, it also helped build camaraderie and "esprit de corps".

What started out as a little spontaneous serenading has developed a life of its own, and has even featured a live performance by Sir Paul McCartney.

Now NASA wants your help in deciding how to wake up the crew. They have narrowed down a massive selection to ten tracks that you can vote on. The styles they have chosen might seem a bit surprising, but there are one or two that didn't make me want to leave the planet. One might even make it onto my personal playlist...

songcontest.nasa.gov