Today I was in the mood for just a short post (OK, the real reason is that I’m currently vacationing in Oregon). I was relaxing and listening to music and thinking about the space program, as it’s a topic I’m currently researching. For me this is something of a convergence. I’m an old-school analog subtractive synthesis guy, as some of you may know, and enjoy the musical stylings of early synthesizer artists like Wendy Carlos and Jean-Michel Jarre. Any discussion of electronic music and the space program leads, inevitably, to Dr. Ron McNair, who, as one of the astronauts who died on the Challenger, is automatically one of my heroes.

Dr. McNair was also handy with a saxophone, and happened to be friends with Jean-Michel Jarre. Together they reasoned that Ron’s upcoming flight on STS-51 might be an ideal opportunity to accomplish a neat first: Ron would play saxophone on board the Challenger while Jarre recorded it live in session, and Jarre’s upcoming album Rendez-Vous would include the first original musical recording performed live in space.

Ron’s saxophone was duly packed on board Challenger. Sadly, as we know all too well, he never got the chance to record the music.

Jarre proceeded with his album, retitling the track Ron’s Piece, with the saxophone played in tribute by Pierre Gossez (ironically, the track’s original title was to be Last Rendez-Vous). If you can get ahold of a copy of the album, give it a listen. Close your eyes and enjoy the way it should have been.