E|A|S (Evolving Asteroid Starships)

Abstract

The hostile and unpredictable environment of deep space requires a new approach for interstellar flight, one that differs radically from current aerospace concepts. Using biology as inspiration, E|A|S suggests creating autonomous starships that physically grow and evolve during their journey. Resources extracted through asteroid mining are used to 3D print new components of the ship in an almost endless process of adaptation. The DSTART team is currently developing concept studies and computer simulations to explore these ideas. The art installation is a combination of a large-scale animated video, an abstract diagram with computer code, and living plants. The animation is a visual study of the E|A|S project and explores concepts such as bio-inspired 3D manufacturing, responsive modular architecture, and closed-loop ecological systems. The computer code is part of a more extensive computer simulation of the starship and its inner ecosystem. The plants operate as a physical and conceptual counterpoint to the virtual worldbuilding. This installation was created by DSTART members Alvaro Papic, Joris Putteneers, Mikhail Sirenko, Victor Steemans, and Angelo Vermeulen. DSTART (TU Delft Starship Team) is a transdisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, architects and artists developing next-generation concepts for interstellar exploration. DSTART aims to critically examine ideologies underpinning current space exploration paradigms, and tries to propose alternative ideas.
Media of output: mixed media art installation.
Size: 5 x 5 x 2m.