Some 500 miles above Earth, a cluster of satellites float, collect, and transmit data from space. They gather valuable information on the planet's oceans and atmosphere and beam it down to the scientists at NASA.
Down on the ground, we're relatively oblivious to all this. A new art exhibit from NASA and Brooklyn architecture firm StudioKCA gives us the opportunity to experience the sounds of the satellites first-hand.
Step inside the conch-shaped Orbit Pavilion at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California.
The pavilion is 30 feet in diameter and features a large oculus in the center. StudioKCA bolted 72 aluminum panels together, creating a curved shape that resembles a seashell.
The design mimics the action of holding a conch to your ear and hearing the ocean. "We thought if people could walk into a massive shell and 'listen' to the sounds of satellites in space, that would be an interesting way to capture and interact with this data," StudioKCA's principal and the pavilion's lead designer Jason Klimoski tells Tech Insider.
The pavilion acts as a 3D sound chamber, echoing ambient sounds and trajectories of 19 NASA satellites. When visitors enter the pavilion, they can hear distinct sounds of the satellites in real time.
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