Austria in Space – a country takes off!

Fifty years ago, humans walked on the moon for the first time. Live broadcasts of the “giant leap for mankind” caused a global sensation. Austria too was caught up in the fascination with outer space. Caught in the middle of the Cold War, the country positioned itself as a neutral broker between the blocs, including when it came to the peaceful use and exploration of space.

The year 1991 was the high point of Austria’s engagement in space: the first Austrian to visit the Soviet space station Mir captured the imagination of the country. He was called Franz Viehböck but acquired the nickname “Austronaut”.

Today, Austrian science institutions and businesses make important contributions to international space research and exploration.

Waldheim in Space – a Message to Extraterrestrials

It is 1977 – “Star Wars” is taking cinemas by storm, and in Vienna the UN is discussing the peaceful exploitation of outer space. It is also the year in which the US space agency NASA sends the probes Voyager 1 and 2 into space. On board is a phonograph record: the “Golden Record” is designed to explain the history of earth and of humankind to “extraterrestrial civilisations”.

The central message of peaceful greeting is spoken by an Austrian: the then secretarygeneral of the UN and later Austrian president, Kurt Waldheim.

The Voyager probes are still broadcasting messages to earth today – albeit only for a little while longer as they get further and further away. At 22 billion kilometres from home, Voyager 1 has travelled further from the earth than any other object made by humans.

Curator
Georg Hoffmann
 

Lender
Franz Viehböck
 

Media
Michaela Zach

Design
Atelier Wunderkammer –
Angelika Höckner und Gerald Moser

Graphics
fuhrer, Wien
 

Video installation
7reasons Medien
 

Conservation and restoration
Petra Süß

Translation
Paul F. Richards
 

Many thanks to Christine Cimzar-Egger, Calla E. Cofield, Johannes
Feichtinger, Nicole-Melanie Goll, Michael Hlava, Christian Klösch, Clarence C.
Scott, Kathrin Riegler, Heidemarie Uhl, Franz Viehböck, Gudrun Weinwurm