Video: A beautiful animation exploring the dreams of the first Briton in space

Dreams of an Astronaut — An artistic foray into outer space as part of the Royal Institution's online advent calendar 'A Place Called Space'.

The first Briton to ever travel to space has had her intergalactic dreams animated in a beautiful hand-drawn short The Dreams of an Astronaut by London artist Andrew Khosravani.

Helen Sharman was selected for the space mission, live on TV, in 1989, after responding to a radio advertisement asking for applicants to become the first British astronaut. The mission was known as Project Juno, devised by the Soviet Union and Britain. Sharman was chosen for her extensive scientific background. One of her previous roles had been at Mars Incorporated dealing with the flavouring properties of chocolate.

The animation is a visual interpretation of an interview with Sharman as part of an online advent calendar ‘A Place Called Space’ for The Royal Institution, an organisation devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.

Each treat in the calendar will tie in with The Royal Institution’s famous CHRISTMAS LECTURES by Dr Kevin Fong, due to be broadcast on BBC Four over the festive period. Sharman’s interview recounts a dream about being back in space. She explains how it feels to look back at your home, what you see and what you miss. She says that initially you focus on the geography of Earth, but that it quickly becomes more personal. That you begin imagining the people and things close to you, that are back on Earth.

Each day, in the run up to Christmas, a new piece of content will be unveiled here, simply click on the box and enjoy your treat. The multimedia content will range from animations, illustrations, articles, video content and poetry, all exploring space travel as a human experience and analysing its role within our culture today.

You can see the advent calendar and more from the RI on their website.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Red shop frontage with "Open Out" branding and appointment-only signage.
Activism

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims

Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.

Written by: Hannah Bentley

Cyclists racing past Palestinian flag, yellow barriers, and spectators.
Sport

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification

Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Crowded festival site with tents, stalls and an illuminated red double-decker bus. Groups of people, including children, milling about on the muddy ground.
© Alan Tash Lodge
Music

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture

Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Weathered wooden building with a tall spire, person on horseback in foreground.
Culture

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South

Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A collage depicting a giant flup for mankind, with an image of the Earth surrounded by planets and people in sci-fi costumes.
Culture

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind

Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.

Written by: Emma Garland

Three orange book covers with the title "Foreign Fruit" against a dark background.
Culture

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”

Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.

Written by: Katie Goh

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.