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GEOSTATIONARY BANANA OVER TEXAS is an art intervention that involves placing a gigantic banana over the Texas sky. The banana will float in near space; from the ground it will be clearly recognizable and visible day and night; it will stay up for approximately one month.
Basically, the banana will be constructed like a blimp. Filled with helium, it will float between 20 and 30 miles up into the sky, and will keep its shape at all times. Its final length will be 1000 feet (a bit more than 3 football fields). The expected launching date is end of August 2008, from Mexico.
We are counting on you; the fundraising campaign ends on June 15th.
www.geostationarybananaovertexas.com
The project has passed preliminary tests and developments, the next phase is its fabrication, and launch. Funding is the only thing that is stopping us now.
How much will it cost? How do I know this amount is the right amount? Where will the money go?
The total cost is $1,500,000. This is our final and thoroughly revised budget ($500,000 more than our original estimate in 2005). By now we have all technical aspects resolved and have analyzed many quotes for the costs of the production; we know that 1,500,000 dollars will make the banana fly.
Basically two thirds will go in the production, while one third will cover fees for specialists, travel expenses for the team, and documentation of the project. Notice that most people working on the project are donating their time.
Remember that your commitment to join the campaign means that you will send your donation only if we have reached the tipping point, which in turn confirms the means to send the banana over the Texas sky.
Will it work? How does it work? How is it built? How will it fly?
The technology for this realization already exists, and it is not new, it has been available for a long time. See the website on the link for EXISTING TECHNOLOGY. See also our PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY, and LATEST UPDATE (more to be added on the website soon).
Why?
Without getting into the philosophical why of art, here you may read some thoughts on why a Geostationary Banana Over Texas: go to ON THE CONCEPT on the website.
To read more feedback from the public and the press, please google it, and if you can, also google it in Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Italian, Korean, etc.
Is this project legal? Yes.
The project will have all the required permissions for its launching, but once it is up, for its month-long positioning over Texas, no permits are needed. The FAA is indifferent to it since it’s not in their jurisdiction.
For more info, go to LEGAL ASPECTS.
Is it dangerous? No
The piece will follow all the international safety requirements for this kind of airship. It will have a position indicator for radar screen, and, a termination system to finish its flight; the banana will burn during re-entry.
Who are these people? Who is working on the team?
For more info, go the THE TEAM on the website; here you can find some links to the artist and team members. In addition, there are over a hundred other supporting members that do not appear in the team at the moment. These are scientists, engineers, materials specialists, academics and specialists in meteorology, legal and aerospace fields that have been consulted and have given their expertise since the very beginning of this project. For the final production and launching of the piece, we have a verbal engagement with major specialized companies, still we cannot confirm them as such until we secure the funding.
Beyond this art intervention in itself, what are the positive implications of this realization?
One is in terms of arts; this project will help to consolidate the beginning of an art practice, using the sky as a canvas for artistic expressions. Also adding to the visual arts discipline, are all the characteristics of this new practice, like visually communicating with a large audience instantly, or evolving the concept of space in the arts (for example, from perspective to orbital space), and so on.
Concerning the technology aspect, this experience (which is open source) can be transferred to other projects –artistic or not. For instance a community can get together to develop their own high altitude telecommunications system, to have free internet, phone or satellite TV, or for rescue or weather information. There are many uses for this technology, which up to now has been reserved for governments and private corporations.
This project might also trigger new international legislation for near space, for which we are all in favor of.
What will happen if the advertisement industry starts using this near space?, what happens with surveillance and weapons in space? If intervening with art in space is wrong, perhaps we should leave near space free of all human interventions. Or we should set the priorities through a public international inquiry –off-hands to government and corporations that already have an interest in it.
What does my contribution imply?
That you will make this art project possible.
We will add your name (unless you wish to remain anonymous) on the list of the makers of the project, it will be posted on the website and will be included in all printed publications documenting the project after its realization. You will receive an acknowledgment from the production team, with photo documentation of the project.
If you want to see the banana floating over the Texas sky, JOIN THE CAMPAIGN, and make it happen.
