posted 05-05-2022 11:02 PM               

Astronaut Leroy Chiao Launches Visually Stunning 'Harmony' Series of NFTs for National Astronaut Day

This year's National Astronaut Day celebration includes the launch of ASTRA ULTRA, an NFT curated platform, on MakersPlace. ASTRA ULTRA's mission is to share the inspirational stories of astronauts, as part of each release, with a goal to educate and foster curiosity to learn more about space and the journey of these heroic trailblazers. Carbon offsets will be done to reduce the footprint of the NFTs in partnership with sustainability platform Aerial.

Above: "Spacewalking is a wonderful experience, bringing the human in contact with the cosmos. Working in the spacesuit is physically and mentally demanding, but it is the spacesuit which allows the delicate ballet to be performed. This ballet was in Russian." - Astronaut Leroy Chiao (Tether: 2.a Leroy Chiao)

ASTRA ULTRA's premiere astronaut collection features astronaut Leroy Chiao's Harmony series. A stunning visual journey of NFTs that encourages the viewer to learn more about the featured elements in each image, with additional graphical elements that seek to honor his heritage and family.

"Any chance, and any way, I have to share my experience as an astronaut is very important to me, and something I feel is part of my responsibility as one of the few who have had the incredible opportunity to go to space," commented astronaut Leroy Chiao. "Certainly, we are all still trying to fully understand the full implications of NFTs, all the related aspects, and what will mean in the long run, but for me it's an artful way to share my stories, through imagery related to my own experience, in the hopes that it will inspire or educate even just for one person, for me that's something worth trying out."

Above: "The Moon stands in striking contrast to our home planet. Small, cold, lifeless and devoid of color, it is just as beautiful and striking as our vibrant, colorful Earth. It was the Moon that inspired my dream of spaceflight, just as it was an inspiration for the ancient Chinese, who created myths, superstitions and a calendar around it." - Astronaut Leroy Chiao. (Harmony: 1.b Leroy Chiao)

Each NFT in astronaut Chiao's Harmony series of includes reflections about the imagery and his experience including;

• Tether: 2.a | "Entering open space is a surreal experience. It's like being in a dream. Then, it is suddenly time to wake up and go to work."

• Tether: 2.b | "During the hard work of building a space station, it is still important to take a break and give a smile to your friends on the other side of the glass."

• Land: 1.a | "The beauty of mother nature is sometimes overwhelming. It was a balance of forces that created each of these miracles."

• Land: 1.b | "Even in sand dunes, the intricacies of nature are seemingly boundless."

• Land: 1.c | "Large, ancient structures built by humans, stands as striking monuments against their natural surroundings."

• Land: 1.d | "The blending of human activity with nature can create stunning beauty, not possible with one alone."

Additional Astronaut NFT collections will be released throughout the month. Astronaut collections also include a personalized, signed print of the digital artwork.