The agency of human-robotic lunatics

Imagination is our window into the future. Led by each generation of artists and scientists, it is through their explorations and inventions that we push towards the edges of possibility. Aerospace developments are no exception and like other areas of human endeavor we are witnessing the increased use of robots as the technological tools for humans to make our visions of the future a reality. Remembering that you can architect the future, what lunatic ideas can we conceive, believe and achieve? Presenting The Agency of Human-Robotic Lunatics (2017) a live keynote performance set underwater and on the Moon that premiered at Robotronica 2017. We saw the artist-astronaut's live performance blend with VR mapping of historical lunar orbital reconnaissance imaging data, and augmented reality artifacts from a real spacewalk simulation underwater during Project Moonwalk. Project Moonwalk develops and tests technologies and training procedures for future missions to the Moon. Through the use of an autonomous subject tracking robotic camera system, the Cinema Swarm, the artist-astronaut articulated the range of human-robotic and human-aquatic interactions unique to Project Moonwalk. The parallel design of human-robotic performance protocols undersea and human-cinematic robot performance onstage inspired new modes of trans-disciplinary dialogue to understand affective visualization applications in astronautics. The technical concepts led to the Spatial Performance Environment Command Transmission Realities for Astronauts SPECTRA (2018) experiments that further expanded the protocols of confined/isolated Lunar Station analogue mission simulations [Lunares 3 Crew] with transmission of LiDAR imaging and the choreographers' moves for an artist-astronaut's interpretation on the analogue Crater. The SPECTRA experiments demonstrated a direct impact on the astronaut's range of spatial awareness, orientation, geographic familiarization, and remote and in-situ operational training for amplifying performance capabilities on EVA. The significance of these new approaches is the widening of the definition of both technical and cultural activities in astronautics. Outcomes also signal new research and impact pathways for the artist, astronaut and avatar in space exploration and discovery.