Last November, while orbiting thousands of miles above the Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) streamed music composed by NYU Abu Dhabi students and faculty to NASA’s Space Center in Houston, Texas. From there, a control interface shared the compositions online, allowing audiences worldwide to access this unique collaboration at the intersection of science and creativity.
This project, titled ASTROBEAT, saw NYU Abu Dhabi team up with Leonardo Barilaro, a pianist and space engineer from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology. Barilaro launched the project with the goal of “taking space art to the next level.” The initiative also included faculty from other universities and world-class performers.
A Call for Student Creativity
In June of 2024, the ASTROBEAT team, including NYU Abu Dhabi music faculty members Carlos Guedes, Matteo Marciano, and Andrea Macciò, the director of the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, invited NYU Abu Dhabi students to submit original music for the chance to have it played in space.
Compositions by NYU Abu Dhabi alumna Nadine Kabbani and NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development undergraduate Summer Reid, who studied away at NYU Abu Dhabi last spring, won the competition. This earned them the rare opportunity to launch their music into space aboard a SpaceX rocket.
Nadine and Summer’s compositions, along with works by Guedes, Marciano, and Barilaro, were streamed from the ISS with accompanying performances by cellist Tina Guo and composer Steve Mazarro.
Why Send Music into Space?
Rockets have a limited capacity for cargo, making it expensive and competitive to send even the smallest things—especially academic projects—to space. The ASTROBEAT team sent their music into orbit on a microchip. Though the chip was small, its contents attracted widespread attention, offering a powerful way to engage the public in space exploration.
“I believe that there is literally space for everyone in space,” says Barilaro. “We want to debunk this old view of space as something that very few, privileged people have access to. It’s still challenging to send experiments up there, but space art is very important, and art is a very powerful language that brings people together.”
Composing for Space
The compositions sent to the ISS were recorded at NYU Abu Dhabi by Gazelien Records, a student-run recording label guided by Marciano. Nadine, who graduated from NYU Abu Dhabi with a double major in Legal Studies and Music, reflected on the experience of having her piece “No Gravity” streamed aboard the station. “‘No Gravity’ is a piano-led composition enhanced by strings and synthesizers to evoke the ethereal nature of space,” she says. “The idea of floating aimlessly in an endless expanse inspired this piece. Seeing my work streamed from space has been an incredible honor—an out-of-this-world experience.”
Summer, currently pursuing a degree in Music Business at NYU Steinhardt, also sent up her original composition. “‘Little Brooks,’ a deeply personal piece about family, is now part of the cosmos,” she explains. “The opportunity to have it streamed from the ISS through ASTROBEAT is beyond surreal. Space has always fascinated me, and knowing my music was broadcast from there is a dream come true. This moment breaks barriers for me as an artist, and I am deeply grateful for this experience.”
Expanding the Reach of Science
Beyond its artistic appeal, ASTROBEAT is a significant milestone in scientific outreach. It allows students to access real-time ISS data as well as gain direct experience with the challenges and opportunities of space experimentation. “This is an invaluable learning experience that connects creativity with cutting-edge research,” explains Macciò. “Space is not just about science; it’s about exploration in every sense. By incorporating music and arts, we’re broadening the horizon of what’s possible in space.”
Macciò also pointed out that the project serves as a tool for inspiring the next generation of scientists and artists. “This project bridges the gap between Earth and space for our students,” he says. “They’re not just spectators—they’re participants in a global experiment, which makes space more tangible and inspiring.”
Repurposed by Olivia Richter from NYU Abu Dhabi News.