ACOUSTIC SPACE: RT32 ORCHESTRATING THE SOLAR SYSTEM: July 22, 2004 Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the conversion of the RT32 telescope at VIRAC A collaboration between VIRAC, RIXC & r a d i o q u a l i a VIRAC, RIXC & r a d i o q u a l i a invite local and international guests to join us ONLINE for a unique event: Website : http://www.radioqualia.net/rt32 Audio archives of the event will be available soon Date: 22.07.04 Time: 0945 - 2130 Streaming from: 1400 Local time (1100 GMT) SCHEDULE (GMT +3) 0945 - 1000: Assemble at the Academy of Sciences Building 1000 - 1300: Excursion from Riga to Irbene 1300 - 1400: Welcome, tours of RT32 telescope & coffee 1400 - 1500: VIRAC Press Conference & Scientific Introduction 1500 - 1615: Acoustic Space Conference 1615 - 1700: Dinner & Reception 1700 - 1830: Acoustic Space sound performances 1830 - 2130: Excursion from Irbene to Riga INTRODUCTION On 22 July 1994 a very special event in recent Latvian history transpired. The Soviet military returned a previously clandestine radio antenna, which had been concealed in the forests of Western Latvia, to the Latvian people. The 32 metre wide radio antenna, christened RT32, turned out to be one of the most significant technical facilities for listening to high frequency radio communication in Northern Europe. Ten years later, RT32 has been converted from military to scientific use, and is being managed by the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC) <. Now, rather than listening to earth-bound data, as it did during its espionage days, RT32 turns it's face toward the sun, listening to planets, stars and the moon. THE EVENT Acoustic Space: RT32: Orchestrating the Solar System is a special event organised to celebrate the conversion of RT32 from military to scientific use. It will highlight VIRAC's scientific achievements, and also address VIRAC's important role in bringing cultural concerns, tactical media and art into the sphere of astronomical operations. Acoustic Space: RT32 will feature an excursion from Riga to the site of the telescopes at Irbene, a press conference by VIRAC scientists, a panel discussion with astronomers and artists, a drinks reception, the launch of an installation by RIXC, a preview of the project Radio Astronomy < by r a d i o q u a l i a, and performances by sound artists, including a special appearance by the Solar System Orchestra Ensemble. BACKGROUND In 1994 the existence facilities formed the communication and command centre, 'Zveolsdoshka' - Russian for Little Star. Zveolsdoshka was built by the Soviet military and was used by the KGB to spy on data transmissions between Europe and North-America during the Cold War. Zveolsdoshka was kept secret for most of its existence. Normal citizens of Latvia had no idea it existed and the whole area around it was closed to the public. When the occupying forces of the Soviet military withdrew from Latvia in 1993, they abandoned Zveolsdoshka. The military were reluctant to give these technical resources to the Latvian Government, and entertained the idea of blowing up the satellite dishes. Pressure from the scientific community dissuaded them, but RT32 was sabotaged by the retreating forces. Acid was poured into its motors; nails were driven through the electrical wires, and all the technical plans and schematics explaining how the dish worked were removed. The dish was effectively ruined. Since this point, a small group of Latvian scientists have dedicated themselves to the restoration of RT32. Working without any technical specifications, and with minimal financial support, they have managed the remarkable feat of restoring the dish back to working order. Acoustic Space: RT32 will celebrate their achievements and give the scientists at VIRAC an opportunity to discuss their work to a local and international audience. ABOUT ACOUSTIC SPACE: RT32 * VIRAC Press Conference and Scientific Introduction VIRAC will deliver a press conference to invited local and international journalists highlighting the work involved in converting RT32 from military to civilian use. Programme Welcome & Introduction (5 mins) Edgars Bervalds, (VIRAC), Rasa Smite (RIXC), Honor Harger (r a d i o q u a l i a) Moderator's Introduction (5 mins) Juris Ekmanis, President of Academy of Sciences Keynote Presentation Edgars Bervalds (10 mins) Science Presentation Karlis Berzins (10 mins) Comments Talis Millers, First President of the Academy of Sciences (5 mins) Comments Janis Vaivids, Former Government Minister (5 mins) Discussion (15 mins). BREAK * Acoustic Space Conference VIRAC have played a pioneering role in bringing science and art closer together, through its collaborations with RIXC on the production of the Acoustic Space Lab, and other activities. The panel will feature presentations by local and international speakers, which illustrate the way that radio astronomy can be used in artistic and cultural contexts. Moderator's introduction (5 mins) Stephen Kovats, V2 & Intertwilight, NL Acoustic Space Lab (10 mins) Rasa Smite & Raitis Smits, RIXC, Latvia Creating Radio Astronomy (10 mins) Honor Harger, r a d i o q u a l i a, NZ (10 mins) On Music and Radio Astrophysics (10 mins) Gavin Starks, musician & astronomer, UK (10 mins) Presentation (10 mins) Lauris Vorslavs, Clausthome, musician, LV (5 mins) Tactical Satellite Usage 1992-2003 (10 mins) Marko Peljhan, Projekt Atol, Slovenia (10 mins) Presentation (10 mins) Ewen Chardronnet, Ellipse, France (10 mins) Discussion (15 mins) * RT32 DVD Installation RIXC's DVD production, RT32 charts the history of the RT32 antenna and the other facilities at Irbene, as well as summarising the activities of the Acoustic Space Lab event. The DVD has been screened at museums, festivals, and universities internationally. Acoustic Space: RT32 will host a reception to celebrate the installation of the RT32 DVD as a permanent display at VIRAC. * Preview of Radio Astronomy Project Radio Astronomy is an art/science project by r a d i o q u a l i a developed in collaboration with NASA's Radio Jove Network (USA), the Windward Community College Radio Observatory (USA) and VIRAC. It will enable listeners to tune into different celestial frequencies, hearing planets, stars, and the constant hiss of cosmic noise. It will reveal the sonic character of objects in our galaxy, and in the process perhaps make these phenomena more tangible and comprehensible. The project is indeed radio astronomy in the literal sense - a radio station devoted to broadcasting sounds from space. Acoustic Space: RT32 will preview the VIRAC component of the project. * Acoustic Space Sound Performances The showpiece of Acoustic Space: RT32 will be a unique concert on the dish structure itself. The concert will comprise soundscapes, electronic music and sound art created using audio captured from the VIRAC radio telescope and other radio astronomy sources. The imposing structure of RT32 will create a dramatic backdrop for performances by: - Dromoff + Sound Meccano (Latvia) - Claustrum (Latvia) - Gavin Starks (UK) - Flow Motion (UK) - MX + Nullo (RX:TX, Slovenia) - Solar System Orchestra Ensemble (MW).