World spec'mode

Encylopaedia orbitalis

2057. It has been exactly one century since humanity conquered space, with the Soviet launch of the Sputnik 1 mission. Given the considerable symbolic significance of this date, certain space agencies have sought to celebrate this anniversary by scheduling the launch of all kinds of space missions for this specific year. Among these missions is the Russian satellite Sputnik 11, launched into a highly elliptical “Molnya”-type orbit. While the satellite’s mission is quite conventional—namely, Earth observation for scientific purposes—it is what is on board Sputnik 11 that deserves our attention. In fact, the satellite contains a 5D optical disc holding the complete contents of nearly 180 encyclopedias sent by numerous nations around the world, which agreed to entrust them to the Russian space agency through the private American company that designed the disc. All of this is therefore being carried out in a spirit of international collaboration, with the same philosophy as the late International Space Station, despite growing geopolitical tensions on Earth. The vast amount of information contained on the disk is thus referred to as “Encyclopedia Orbitalis,” the first—and only—encyclopedia designed to be read only after approximately 2,000 years, once Sputnik 11 re-enters Earth’s atmosphere after numerous orbits.