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Select 2024-08-08T13:14:28-04:00 xmp.iid:655b2e4a-a9f7-4035-9e3e-4fe730491061 xmp.did:655b2e4a-a9f7-4035-9e3e-4fe730491061 xmp.did:655b2e4a-a9f7-4035-9e3e-4fe730491061 saved xmp.iid:655b2e4a-a9f7-4035-9e3e-4fe730491061 2024-08-08T13:14:28-04:00 Adobe Bridge 2024 /metadata

Designing, prototyping, and building the artifacts of our sci-fi space future

Creative Commons

Attribution 4.0 International

NASA, ESA, H. Teplitz and M. Rafelski (IPAC/Caltech), A. Koekemoer (STScI), R. Windhorst (Arizona State University), and Z. Levay (STScI)

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Gallery Research

Cambridge Science Festival: Innovation Under the Stars Gallery

A selection of Images from Cambridge Science Festival 2024 | MIT Media Lab Presents: Innovation Under the Stars.
Video Videos

Media Lab + Castrol Collaboration: Meet HexSense

Meet HexSense, a sensor node designed to be deployed ballistically—in other words, shot out of a cannon—and automatically right itself.
Video Videos

Media Lab + Castrol Collaboration: Lava Tubes

Lava tubes—massive underground tunnels formed by ancient lava flows—offer a glimpse into potential human habitats under the lunar surface.
Video Videos

Media Lab + Castrol Collaboration: Somewhere like the moon

Before researchers send a project like AstroAnt to the lunar surface, they have to test it somewhere like the moon.
Video Videos

Media Lab + Castrol Collaboration: Test, test, test

Terrestrial tests help to ensure that the AstroAnt's teeny-tiny wheels keep turning when it reaches the moon.
Video Videos

Media Lab + Castrol Collaboration: Meet AstroAnt

This miniaturized swarm robot can ride atop a lunar rover and collect data related to its health.
Post Research

Castrol collaboration supports research on Lunar Landings

Castrol supports the AstroAnt Payload Program, a robotic swarm designed for tasks on spacecraft, rovers, and landers.
Article Research

The IM-2 Moon mission will carry a blend of science and art

The IM-2 Moon Mission will carry three projects from the Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative and collaborators.
Post Research

A parabolic roller coaster into the future of space and lunar exploration

Media Lab SEI’s 2024 microgravity flight features 37 parabolas and projects focused on health in space, walking in zero gravity, and more!
Post About

Pioneering Space Exploration + Data: Women Lead MIT Media Lab's Future Worlds Research

At the MIT Media Lab, visionary women are at the forefront of groundbreaking research in space exploration and sustainable climate solution…
Article Research

Designing for outer space

With NASA planning permanent bases in space and on the moon, MIT students develop prototypes for habitats far from planet Earth.
Post Research

To Lunar Gravity and Back: What reduced gravity flights can teach us about our future in space

The Space Exploration Initiative’s 2022 microgravity flight features lunar-specific payloads in advance of an upcoming moon mission
Post Research

Convergence: Artistic Explorations from Nature to Society Exhibition at NARLabs

Convergence: Artistic Exploration from Nature to SocietyNARLabs, Taipei, Taiwan May 10 - August 10, 2024 Guided by the Taiwa…
Gallery Research

Aerospace Gondola (Venice Biennale Arte 2024)

View a selection of images from the Aerospace Gondola project at Venice Biennale Arte 2024. 
Post Research

Zero Gravity Flight 2024

Founded in 2016 and now in our eighth year, we set our sights on space. The Space Exploration Initiative has since grown to …
Post Research

Xin Liu wins inaugural K11 Artist Prize

Liu was selected from eight shortlisted artists for her work bridging art and science.
Post Research

Day 6 - Karman Vortex Lanzarote

On day 6 we got a chance to come back to Jameo de la Puerta Falsa to recover more data and scans of the lava tube, as well as to do some sc…
Post Research

Day 7 - Local culture and recharge

After a very full week of intense research and field work, we were all ready for some downtime to go through the data we'd collected, asses…
Post Research

Day 5 - Vines in Volcanos

Our fifth day in Lanzarote was our biggest data collection day.
Post Research

Day 3 - First Lava Tube: Cueva de la Paloma

This morning we entered and explored our first lava tube at Cueva de la Paloma.
Post Research

Day 4 - Timanfaya and the Cueva de los Verdes Lava Tube

Today we got to know the most recent geologic history of the island while visiting Timanfaya National Park.
Post Research

Day 2 - Permits and field school

Our second day, though not the most exciting in imagery and data, was critical for the success of the expedition.
Post Research

Day 1 - Arrival

The team packed up the truck and departed the Media Lab for the airport on Saturday afternoon.  Flying through Madrid, we arrived in L…
Post Research

Preparing for Lanzarote

Leading up to our departure the team tested all our hardware to make sure that it all works in the lab before exposing it to the more rugge…
Post Research

TIME's 200 Best Inventions of 2023: SeedLabs MicroPET

The SeedLabs MicroPET, which began as a Media Lab collaboration, was selected to TIME's 200 Best Inventions of 2023.
Video Videos

Battery-free wireless underwater camera

The Signal Kinetics group invented the world's first battery-free wireless underwater camera.
Video Videos

Research Group Overview: Space Exploration Initiative

Democratizing access to space.
Article Research

Chinese artist Xin Liu takes us inside her lab-like London studio, where engineering and creativity converge.

Xin Liu, an alum of the Fluid Interfaces group and collaborator with the Space Exploration Initiative, talks to Artnet about her practice.
Post Research

Castrol joins the Media Lab to support research on lunar landings

Castrol membership supports the AstroAnt Payload Program.
Article Research

Axiom’s second flight paves the way for a commercial space station

Dr. Ariel Ekblaw, founder of the Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative, talks to Wired about the Axiom-2 mission.
Article Research

Feet on Earth, head in the stars

These five women at the MIT Media Lab are advancing aerospace science and research, driven by a love of our home planet.
Post Research

Beams from Svalbard

Talented and fearless explorers from a far off land have brought bright orange gadgets to this isolated and wild world to better understand
Post Research

MIT SEI Svalbard Expedition 2023

Researchers from the Media Lab and collaborators begin their second trip to Svalbard, a remote land of wind, ice, and beauty.
Post Research

Fast Company's 2023 World-Changing Ideas Awards: Media Lab Honorees

A number of Media Lab and MIT projects and spinoffs were recognized.
Post Research

On-orbit livestream events for two Media Lab research projects | Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2)

Q+A sessions on two research projects with contributors from MIT and the Media Lab will be livestreamed from the ISS on May 26 and May 28.
Post Research

MIT Media Lab research on the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) launch

The Axiom Mission 2 launch will carry a variety of research from the MIT Media Lab to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 21, 2023
Article Research

MIT HUMANS project breaks down borders, empowering global voices to reach for the stars

The HUMANS nanowafer, an MIT Space Exploration Initiative student-led project, will travel to the ISS this month, and later to the moon.
Article Research

Ariel Ekblaw Wants To Go to Space So We Can Save Earth

Media Lab's Ariel Ekblaw talks to Inverse about the questions and the philosophies that drive her work with SEI and the Aurelia Institute.
Article Research

The Research Powering Humanity’s First Space Civilization with Ariel Ekblaw

On StarTalk, Dr. Ariel Ekblaw talks about her work with the Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) and the Aurelia Institute.
Video Videos

Testing Research in the Arctic for Off-Planet Exploration

A team of scientists, engineers, and designers embark on an Arctic expedition to test space technology.
Article Research

Why are we sending a plastic-eating enzyme to space?

A collaboration with researchers from the Space Exploration Initiative is investigating biological processes to upcycle plastics.
Article Research

Ariel Ekblaw explains the future of space stations

In an interview, Ariel Ekblaw discusses the democratization of access to space and what it means for the future of space stations.
Article Research

Denting the future at San Diego Comic-Con 2022

Dent the Future organizes annual 2022 science and tech panels featuring Sana Sharma.
Article Research

Amazon MARS 2022: Day 2 Keynote

Be inspired by Rohit Prasad, SVP and Head Scientist, Alexa AI, Amazon, Tye Brady, Chief Technologist, Amazon Robotics, Dilip Kumar, VP, Phy…
Post Research

BioX2: Biological Exploration Payload 2

BioX2 (Biological Exploration Payload 2) is targeted for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) in October 2022 to be a technolog…
Post Research

Arctic Space Analog in Svalbard

Space engineers, a geologist, an architect, and a designer journeyed to Svalbard for an expedition with the Space Exploration Initiative
Post Research

Svalbard Expedition

In October 2022, the MIT Space Exploration Initiative went on a field expedition in Svalbard. Based out of the Czech Arctic Research Statio…
Article Research

The Real Story: NASA's plan to go back to the Moon

A panel of experts, including SEI director Ariel Ekblaw, discusses the history, culture, science, and future of NASA's Artemis program
Article Research

Summer 2022 recommended reading from MIT

Enjoy these recent titles from Institute faculty and staff.
Article Research

Artist Xin Liu lets science-backed absurdity take the wheel

The artist and MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative Arts curator makes work that explores why the seemingly impossible is possible.
Article Research

MIT Media Lab trials modular tiles that self-assemble into "entirely novel type of space architecture"

Ariel Ekblaw talks about the TESSERAE project, which was tested on the Space Station during the recent Axiom Space AX-1 mission.
Post Research

Zero Gravity Flight 2022

Read about the 2022 zero gravity flight and the projects that flew. This is an annual event hosted by the Space Exploration Initiative.
Post Research

MIT Flies on Blue Origin New Shepard NS-17

On August 26, 2021, the MIT  Space Exploration Initiative launched to space and back with Blue Origin a second time. The payload, a pr…
Article Research

3 Questions: Ariel Ekblaw on building beautiful architecture in space

The TESSERAE project, a design for self-assembling space structures and habitats, has sent prototypes to the International Space Station.
Article Research

Ariel Ekblaw: Space Colonization and Self-Assembling Space Megastructures

Ariel Ekblaw talks about leading the Space Exploration Initiative, self-assembling space architecture, science fiction, + long-term thinking
Post Research

MicroPET is the top finalist for ISS National Lab Sustainability Challenge

Last Friday, the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory gathered a variety of thought leaders at a virtual event to discuss …
Article Research

Robotic cubes shapeshift in outer space

Self-reconfiguring ElectroVoxels use embedded electromagnets to test applications for space exploration.
Post Research

A New Zero Gravity Cuisine: A Culinary Collaboration with the Restaurant Alchemist

A New Zero Gravity Cuisine is a culinary collaboration that imagines the transformation of ingredients in zero gravity. I’m a researcher an…
Article Research

2021 was the year space tourism opened up. But for whom?

Space Exploration Initiative director Ariel Ekblaw speaks with WIRED’s Ramin Skibba about the beginning and future of space tourism.
Post Research

Design Exploration: Towards a Moon Architecture

Webinar Series " Design Exploration: towards a Moon Architecture" | Invited talks and students' projects.
Post Research

Virtual Beyond the Cradle 2021 Speakers
Post Research

SEI Space Analog Mission Application 2022

SEI Space Analog Mission Application 2022 
Article Research

Into the anthropocosmos with Ariel Ekblaw

A conversation recently aired on Planetary Radio, hosted by Mat Kaplan of the Planetary Society, featuring SEI director Ariel Ekblaw.
Article Research

What the well-dressed spacecraft will be wearing

Spacecraft wrapped in sensor-rich electronic textiles could double as scientific instruments
Post Research

ISS Mission 2022

This mission marks the Media Lab's fourth rocket launch.
Article Research

Why artist and engineer Xin Liu sent her wisdom tooth into outer space

The LA Times talks to Fluid Interfaces alum Xin Liu about her art project Living Distance.