Psyche Inspired: Chase Mortensen

Institution: Utah State University

Major: Computer Science

Psyche Inspired Class: 2019-2020

Reflections from CHase

Meeting Psyche This piece shows the Psyche spacecraft approaching the asteroid. The rough, unknown surface of Psyche is shown by coarse brush strokes and gaps on the surface, suggesting gaps in knowledge. Unlikely colors are on the asteroid, emphasizing Psyche’s foreign nature. A face appears on the surface of the asteroid. Psyche is surprised to have a visitor. Surrounded by stars, the spacecraft is on the left side of the piece.

Meeting Psyche

Chase Mortensen

November 7, 2019

Major: Computer Science

Genre/Medium: acrylic

About the work: This piece shows the Psyche spacecraft approaching the Psyche asteroid. The rough, unknown surface of Psyche is represented in the painting by coarse brush strokes and gaps on the surface, suggesting gaps in knowledge. Colors unlikely to appear on the actual asteroid are used, which emphasizes Psyche’s foreign nature. A face is faintly revealed on the surface of the asteroid. Psyche seems surprised to have a visitor.

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   Psyche 16

This piece is a simple representation of Psyche with an emphasis on rays of light surrounding the asteroid. The rays extending out from Psyche represent the many different angles from which the asteroid will be observed and analyzed. Lines from varoious angles are drawn to show the Psyche asteroid in all its glory.

Psyche 16

Chase Mortensen

December 18, 2019

Major: Computer Science

Genre/Medium: pen and ink

About the work: This piece is a simple representation of (16) Psyche with an emphasis on rays of light surrounding the asteroid. The rays extending out from Psyche represent the many different angles from which the asteroid will be observed and analyzed.

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Orbit

Orbit

Chase Mortensen

March 6, 2020

Major: Computer Science

Genre/Medium: acoustic guitar with digital effects

About the work: Orbit is an interpretation of the Psyche spacecraft arriving at and orbiting the asteroid. The computer-generated sounds are representative of the spacecraft and the guitar is representative of the asteroid. Both the guitar and the electronic sounds pan between left and right to give the impression of movement. The guitar, which represents the metallic nature of the asteroid, has a vibrato-type effect applied to it and slight detuning to indicate the irregularities on the surface of (16) Psyche. The electronic noises include distorted speech and more electronic sounding beeps, which represent the communication that will occur between Earth and the spacecraft. The song follows the path of the Psyche spacecraft. Initially, the asteroid is not present, and the song ends with the spacecraft going offline.

  Hello, Psyche

This graphite piece includes a black background with small glistening stars. From the bottom of the image, a human arm with a small tattoo of the Psyche spacecraft protrudes and loosely grasps the asteroid. The sun, which is out of frame, casts light onto some parts of the arm and asteroid while other parts remain coated in dark shadows.

Hello, Psyche

Chase Mortensen

April 23, 2020

Major: Computer Science

Genre/Medium: graphite pencils

About the work: This piece was inspired by a reflection on the human aspect of the Psyche mission. The image depicts the possible final moments of the Psyche mission in a symbolic gesture of gratitude and familiarity from the spacecraft and humankind toward the Psyche asteroid.

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