In 2014, I created artwork for a satellite that was launched into space & deployed into near-Earth orbit from the International Space Station.
Planet.com operates the world's largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites. Based in San Francisco, they bring Silicon Valley ingenuity to the aerospace industry. And they have an appreciation for the arts.
Therefore, they wanted to do more than simply build and launch satellites into orbit; they also wanted them to be beautiful. To make this happen, they offered an open call for submissions of artwork for their satellites. The selected works would be laser-engraved on the sides of their satellites, launched into space, and deployed into near-Earth orbit from the International Space Station.
Two of Planet.com's satellites being deployed from the ISS
As someone who had dreamed of designing spaceships as a child, I'd been hoping for an opportunity like this for most of my life. I drew obsessively for months. I emerged with two pieces (one for each side of the satellite), called Ascension & Dove Dance (the Planet team called their satellites "doves").
Ascension
Dove Dance
These pieces were inspired by archetypal themes of mythology, masculinity, femininity, nature, technology, and the interplay of all of these things.
My wife can attest that when I learned that my work had been selected, I shot straight up to Cloud 9. [No rocket required.]
This National Geographic video provides more info about the project (including a few clips featuring yours truly).
For more info, check out my Medium article, Art In Space – How I Joined the Largest Art Exhibition in Outer Space.