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.
Latest on Huck
Three decades behind the scenes of the music industry
Eddie Otchere’s ‘Spirit Behind the Lens’ is a story of music and culture that crosses and transcends borders.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski and Andrea Arnold on ‘Bird’
The new issue of Little White Lies brings Andrea Arnold’s sixth feature to life with a thematic voyage down the Thames estuary.
Written by: Maisy Hunter
“A party is a microcosm of a nation”: Caleb Femi on the decline of the house party
To celebrate the publication of his new collection ‘The Wickedest’, Isaac Muk caught up with Femi to talk more about the work, the future of the shoobs, and discuss why having it large on a Saturday night should be cherished.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Celebrating 20 years of The Mighty Boosh
A new exhibition takes a look behind the scenes of the iconic show two decades after its BBC3 premiere.
Written by: Isaac Muk
We Run Mountains: Black Trail Runners tackle Infinite Trails
Soaking up the altitude and adrenaline at Europe’s flagship trail running event, high in the Austrian Alps, with three rising British runners of colour.
Written by: Phil Young
The organisation levelling the playing field in the music industry
Founded in 2022, The Name Game is committed to helping female, non-binary and trans people navigate the industry.
Written by: Djené Kaba