Experiment

"Red Color Unites Space and Traditional Culture (Space Sakura)" was performed on board Kibo

All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)

JAXA Education Payload Observation (EPO) "Red Color Unites Space and Traditional Culture (Space Sakura)"* was performed on board the Japanese Experiment Module, Kibo.

*Principal Investigator (PI): Yuzo Murayama, Professor, Doshisha University

The theme intends to add a new source of creativity by utilizing Kibo in space, and eventually lead Japanese culture to move on to take a new step for the future. In this observation, a part of Japanese four seasons is expressed in red in the inorganic microgravity environment to find a new source for Japanese traditional culture.

The experiment creates a Japanese cultural space in microgravity by producing the flurry of cherry blossom (Sakura) petals in Spring, a symbolic phenomenon among red color-based sceneries of four seasons in Japan. From 11:00 p.m. on February 2, 2012, to 0:40 a.m. on the next day in Kibo, NASA Astronaut Donald Pettit deployed the flurry of pure silk-Sakura petals in a pre-built Sakura box and recorded the state of floating using a 3D camcorder.

The gas flow in microgravity realizes the move of petals which is inconceivable on the ground. Through this attempt, investigators expect that it will bring a totally new view of nature to the design of traditional crafts and eventually inspire stereotyped traditional industry to a new creativity.

Special Message from PI, Prof. Yuzo Murayama, Doshisha University

We are all impressed with the wonderful 3D images. What we have experienced is the move that you never can see on the ground. This shall be a new start for the traditional culture of Kyoto. We are thankful all the support from JAXA staff.

Mr. Kawabe (Co-Investigator: CI) and Prof. Murayama, PI, monitor the proceeding from the User Operations Area at Tsukuba Space Center (Credit: JAXA)

3D image obtained in the experiment (Credit: Yuzo Murayama/JAXA)

*All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)