On Friday, NASA sent a Missy Elliott song to Venus using its Deep Space Network. The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) travelled from Earth to Venus in just 14 minutes. Aside from the novelty of this, the reason for this transmission isn’t disclosed by NASA.
With a mean surface temperature of 464 degrees Celsius, and a surface pressure that makes it feel as if 600kg is constantly pressing down on your body, Venus is an unwelcoming planet. The planet is the destination of NASA’s latest test of its Deep Space Network (DSN) which involves hip-hop star Missy Elliott. On Friday, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent Missy Elliott’s The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), to Venus via its DSN.
The DSN is a collection of large antennas and satellites that enable communication with spacecraft as they traverse the galaxy. The network plays a crucial role in landing rovers on Mars and collecting asteroid samples from Bennu. But last week Missy Elliott became the second artist to have their music sent into space with the Beatles being the first in 2008.
“I still can’t believe I’m going out of this world with NASA through the Deep Space Network when ‘The Rain’ (Supa Dupa Fly) becomes the first ever hip-hop song to transmit to space!,” said Elliott. “I chose Venus because it symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment and I am so humbled to have the opportunity to share my art and my message with the universe!” The song travelled 254 million kilometres from Goldstone Deep Space Communicatio.
