Missy Elliott's Music Blasts Off to Venus: NASA Makes History with Hip-Hop Debut in Space
In a historic first, NASA beamed Missy Elliott's iconic track "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to Venus. The hip-hop anthem, the first hip-hop track, ever to journey 158 million miles, reaching the scorching planet in just 14 minutes. This groundbreaking feat marks a new era of cosmic collaboration, blending art and science in an extraordinary way. Elliott expressed her excitement, calling Venus a symbol of strength, beauty, and empowerment – qualities that resonate deeply with her music. While the planet may be inhospitable, with temperatures soaring to 860 degrees Fahrenheit, it serves as a fittingly dramatic backdrop for this celestial event. NASA’s Deep Space Network, a system of giant radio antennas, was instrumental in sending the song on its cosmic voyage. This achievement underscores the agency’s commitment to exploring the unknown and pushing the boundaries of human ingenuity. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" joins the Beatles’ "Across the Universe" as the only songs ever transmitted into deep space. However, music has a long history in space exploration, dating back to the "Golden Record" carried by the Voyager spacecraft in 1977.
by Maurice Pendarvis •