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\t\t\t\t\t\t05\/06\/2025<\/span> On 31 May, a live performance of The Blue Danube<\/i> \u2013 often referred to as the \u2018anthem of space\u2019 \u2013 was transmitted by the European Space Agency (ESA) into the vastness of space. The event marked a double celebration: ESA\u2019s 50th anniversary and the 200th birthday of the King of Waltz Johann Strauss II.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As part of a unique cultural tribute, ESA partnered with the Vienna Tourist Board to share a live concert of Johann Strauss II\u2019s\u00a0The Blue Danube<\/i>\u00a0with the Universe. Performed by the\u00a0Wiener Symphoniker<\/i>\u00a0(Vienna Symphony Orchestra) at Vienna\u2019s Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), the\u00a0WALTZ INTO SPACE\u00a0concert was also streamed to audiences at the\u00a0Strandbar Herrmann<\/i>\u00a0in Vienna, the Madrid Planetarium, and New York City\u2019s Bryant Park.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The event was more than an earthbound celebration. The digitised signal of the performance was beamed into space via ESA\u2019s Cebreros deep space antenna in Spain \u2013 part of Estrack, the agency\u2019s global network of ground stations that supports communication with missions like Juice, BepiColombo and Hera, as well as spacecraft operated by international partners.<\/p>\n Music enthusiasts also took part in an interactive experience called\u00a0SpaceNotes<\/i>, symbolically launching individual notes of\u00a0The Blue Danube<\/i>\u00a0into space. Each of the waltz\u2019s 13 743 notes was \u2018adopted\u2019 by a patron, whose name was transmitted alongside the note. In less than 51 days after the initiative was announced, every note had been claimed \u2013 an average of 270 notes per day, with participants from 92 countries around the world.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The transmission was precisely aligned with the trajectory of NASA\u2019s Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object in space, currently over 25 billion kilometres from Earth. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 carries the iconic Golden Record \u2013 a time capsule of Earth\u2019s music and culture. Though\u00a0The Blue Danube<\/i>\u00a0was not included in the original record, it has now joined the cosmic soundscape, travelling at the speed of light toward the stars. The signal reached the location of Voyager 1 in just under a day and will now continue its journey through space indefinitely \u2013 taking more than four years to reach Alpha Centauri, our nearest star system.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cThis event shows that our technology can transmit not only scientific data, but also human art over long distances,\u201d said ESA Director General, Josef Aschbacher. \u201cIt\u2019s a powerful moment that reflects how music \u2013 much like space \u2013 connects all of humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n Famously used in Stanley Kubrick\u2019s\u00a02001: A Space Odyssey<\/i>\u00a0to accompany a spacecraft docking sequence,\u00a0The Blue Danube<\/i>\u00a0has become synonymous with humanity\u2019s exploration of space. With this symbolic mission, ESA honours both a rich cultural heritage and an enduring aspiration: a Viennese waltz echoing endlessly through the Universe.<\/p>\n \u201cThe successful realisation of the WALTZ INTO SPACE mission is a testament to Vienna\u2019s unique ability to blend tradition with innovation,\u201d said Norbert Kettner, CEO of the Vienna Tourist Board. \u201cWe are proud to have collaborated with the European Space Agency, whose willingness to support this exceptional project is an honour and far from a given. Our sincere gratitude goes to all partners and supporters who made this cosmic celebration of Vienna\u2019s cultural heritage possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The WALTZ INTO SPACE concert can be rewatched\u00a0here.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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