NeurAstra
S02 → Altanube Pando
S06 → Nimbus.Archives
S07 → N400
S08 → AofAP
S03 → Specteore
Sic Itur Ad Astra
Sic Itur Ad Astra—translated as “Such is the way to the stars” in English and “C'est ainsi que l'on s'élève vers les étoiles” in French—is a quotation from Virgil’s epic poem Aeneid*. It became, with Louis XVI, the motto of the Montgolfier family to honour them for inventing the hot air balloon (la montgolfière) and successfully achieving the first manned flight in 1783. The ideas of aspirational quest and (literal) ascension galvanised the rise of Specteore to drive observation and research in situ, outside the context of a laboratory.
From modern navigators setting sail across raging seas to space missions probing the depths of the universe, this motto continues to resonate with the intrinsic human desire to transcend boundaries, whether physical, intellectual, or spiritual. By studying means of locomotion, territories’ constraints, equipment, and the logistics of expeditions, we plan to conceive a unique structure optimised to endure the harshness of travel while creating a safe and self-contained habitat.*Virgil — Aenid (verse 641/canto IX)
→ Moving From One Place to Another
AXIS
I.MT. II.MT. III.MT. IV.MT. V.MT. VI.MT. VII.MT.
II.MT. D’Equivelly airplane (1907)
III.MT. The Dynasphere Monowheel Vehicle (1930)
IV.MT. “Leonid Meteor Shower” (1870)
V.MT. The bathyscaphe Trieste (1958)
VI.MT. The Rhomboid Automodule (1970)
VII.MT. “Graf Zeppelin over Tokyo” (1929)
II.H. Haus-Rucker-Co — Pneumacosm (1967)
III.H. James Maccormick — Australian Pavilion Expo ‘70 / Osaka, Japan (1970)
IV.H. Terunobu Fujimori — Flying Mud Boat / Chino, Nagano, Japan (2003-2004)
V.H. South African Antarctic research base SANAE IV / Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land (1997)
VI.H. Twistesee (Twiste Lake) / Bad Arolsen, Germany (1981)
Expeditions have long been intertwined with the concepts of means of transportation (i.e., locomotion, that is, the ability or the act of moving from one place to another) and habitats (i.e., the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows). Throughout history, advances in transportation—from ancient seafaring vessels to modern spacecraft—have enabled explorers to traverse vast distances and discover unknown territories. These journeys often required the creation of temporary or permanent shelters, allowing explorers to survive and study these new regions.
During the Age of Exploration, figures like Christopher Columbus and James Cook relied heavily on ships, which served not only as means of transportation but also as living quarters and scientific laboratories. Similarly, polar expeditions led by Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott highlighted the importance of specially designed structures. Confronted with extreme environmental conditions, these explorers needed shelters that could provide protection for extended and rudimentary stays. Over time, the scientific aspect of expeditions evolved alongside advancements in transportation and habitat design. In the 19th and 20th centuries, expeditions to the Antarctic and deep-sea explorations utilised increasingly sophisticated ships, incorporating innovations like insulated tents, prefabricated buildings, and submersible habitats.
The interplay between transportation and habitats offers invaluable insights for a new kind of exploration: space analogue missions. These missions are designed to simulate the challenges of living and working in space environments. Just as past explorers needed reliable transportation and suitable shelters, space missions require advanced spacecraft and habitats capable of sustaining life in hostile conditions. The main objectives of space analogue missions include testing life support systems, studying the psychological and physiological effects of isolation, developing protocols and standards, and proposing protective solutions to prevent alterations in human physiological systems during long-duration space travel. Often conducted on Earth’s most remote and extreme settings, these missions are characterised by confined living spaces, promiscuity, limited resources, and environmental stressors. Drawing from these historical and scientific precedents, the objectives of space analogue missions echo the endeavours of early explorers: to expand human knowledge and prepare for future journeys.