OMG I am totally, happily lost, wandering about NASA’s new SoundCloud channel, which is full of amazing audio. Check out this set of tracks, which begins with “Chorus Radio Waves Within Earth’s Atmosphere”:
Next comes a Sputnik beep, a sample of lightening on Jupiter, and some Saturn based radio emissions from Casini. You can also listening to famous NASA words, such as “Houston we have a problem here.” Interestingly, comments are disabled for that selection.
Just think of all the fun things you sample-loving community radio deejays can do with these music-of-the-spheres sounds.
NASA has always been into radio and audio. One gets the impression there are at least a few wannebe rock radio hosts at the agency. Two years ago Paul Riismandel profiled the agency’s Third Rock radio channel, which is still going strong. Third Rock says it updates listeners on NASA events, but every time I’ve dropped by it mostly seems to play alternative and modern rock.
“It’s an interesting concept,” Paul noted back in February 2012. “But a new listener like me isn’t going to be enticed to tune in again if we don’t get the space stuff during our first time tuning in.”
Happily, NASA’s SoundCloud channel definitely delivers on the space stuff. Check out these “Voyager Interstellar Plasma Sounds”:
And here’s a “Kepler: Star KIC12268220C Light Curve Waves to Sound”:
If you are going to access this fun content, NASA has some conditions. Fair use-ish purposes are fine, but “If the NASA material is to be used for commercial purposes, especially including advertisements, it must not explicitly or implicitly convey NASA’s endorsement of commercial goods or services.” More details about NASA policies here.
