HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR IDEAS IN THE AIR? A MANUAL OF POSSIBILITIES Invitation to an Artistic Experimental Performance. Let s create and celebrate solar-powered Lighter-Than- Air Sculptures and engage in rethinking possible futures by artist Tomás Saraceno. Hosted by the Red Cross International, Development & Climate Days 2014, Lima, Peru zero poverty, zero emissions, within a generation.
LIGHTER THAN AIR SOLAR SCULPTURE CHICO Building the lower part - Stack 6 sheets making sure edges are aligned. 1 5 - Unfold the stack of plastic sheets. Required materials: Used plastic bags, a measuring tape, scissors, a knife (with a rounded tip and small dents on the sharp edge), a roll of tape 19 mm x 33 m, 11 meters of sewing thread, a white out pen and a yoghut cup 2 - Fold this stack in two, so that one longest side covers the other one. You obtain a 167 cm by 50 cm stack. collecting used(!) plastic bags Collect re-used plastic bags - the lighter they are, the easier your sculpture will rise with the sun! Remember, one cubic meter of air with a temperature difference between in and outside the enclosed volume of 20 will raise 80g. The surface of your sculpture should be as light as possible. 3 - Using the white out pen or marker, mark a point at 20 cm from the fold (pli) and draw a line to the other corner (see drawing). - Align side by side 2 sheets with the narrow ends on the same side. Tape 6 them together along the whole length. One person aligns the sheets with a slight overlap while the other one tapes. Cut the plastic bags into a regular shape in order to make it easier for later assembly. Paste together recangular pieces to sheets of around 167 cm by 100 cm. 4 - Cut along the line using the scissors. 7 - Repeat this task five times and roll the assembled sheets while progressing.
11 a - Tape six 1.5 m sewing threads onto the bottom of the LTAS-sculpture, making sure that at least 6 cm of that thread are taped to the LTAS-sculpture (see picture). Do not apply tape on tape as bonding is not very good. b - Tape the 6 lines to the yogurt cup. LTAS-sculpture assembly: 9 a - put side by side the upper and the lower LTAS-sculpture assemblies (tape should be on the same face). Assemble with tape. b - Close the LTAS-sculpture by taping from top to bottom (tape on the same face). c - Finish-up the top of the LTAS-sculpture to avoid leaks! - Turn the LTAS-sculpture inside-out like a sock so that tape is inside 12 the LTAS-sculpture. Tape outside is not pretty and bonding is more exposed to sun rays. Half upper LTAS-sculpture - Repeat steps 5 to 11 with the remaining 6 sheets following the drawing. 8 Assembly is slightly more difficult due to the cranked shape. - Reinforce the bottom of the LTAS-sculpture with tape close to 10 the edge (5 mm). 13 - Attach another 2 m line to the bottom of the yogurt to hold the LTASsculpture... Your Lighter Than Air Solar Sculpture is finished. Weight should be around 220 g! With the same principles and materials shown above and a little imagination you can create your own instruction... and share it! (www.becoming-aerosolar.com)
Let the sun makes it fly, let the sun raises it high! Choose the day Choose a location, preferable. The location should be free of stones or sharp bushes that might damage your sculpture whilst still on the ground. The location should be clean and the surface preferably flat, possibly a football or basketball field, a field with cut lawn, devoid of sharp objects, only soft vegetation. It is very important to see the sun coming up from the horizon. Choose a place where you can see the sun rise as early as possible. If there are large obstacles like big trees or buildings around your chosen spot then choose another location as the sunlight will otherwise be blocked and reach your sculpture too late. Day and time: good weather, sunny day, no clouds, no wind or with a very light wind (you can determine the level of wind from the leaves of the trees), possibility to shelter behind a wall, early in the morning (from 10am/11am the thermal convection create more likely some wind). The more difference between the outside temperature and the enclosed volume, the better the lift. The best results will be on the snow (high albedo) during high pressure (anticyclonic). Make an air sock with a 2m long post and 0,5m long piece of red and white tape. Put the air sock at some distance from the launching site... Launch your LTA-S-sculpture by running This method is recommended for sculptures of small size. Lay the LTA-Ssculpture on the ground with the opening. Flap the side of the opening to let air in. After air gets into the sculpture lower it back down to the ground. Repat this motion several times until the sculpture is sufficiently filled with air. The sun will heat the enclosed air quickly and your sculpture will start to rise. Due to the heat of the sun the enclosed air will continue to expand and compleately inflate the sculpture. Hold the sculpture using the line. After 5 to 10 minutes it should be capable to lift its load thanks to the heat of the sun. Keep the structure tethered securely at all times and be careful of the wind not blowing it towards electric lines or buildings. Launch your LTA-S-sculpture with your arms. This method is recommended for sculptures of small size. Lay the LTA-S-sculpture on the ground with the opening. Flap the side of the opening to let air in. After air gets into the sculpture lower it back down to the ground. Repat this motion several times until the sculpture is sufficiently filled with air. The sun will heat the enclosed air quickly and your sculpture will start to rise. Due to the heat of the sun the enclosed air will continue to expand and compleately inflate the sculpture. Hold the sculpture using the line. After 5 to 10 minutes it should be capable to lift its load thanks to the heat of the sun. Keep the structure tethered securely at all times and be careful of the wind not blowing it towards electric lines or buildings. HAVE A GOOD FLIGHT!
Now... Ready to fly! And lifted only by the sun.