Jon Hopkins creates new single for NASA’s Lunar Codex time capsule

Jon Hopkins collaborated with NASA on a new single destined for the moon.

NASA has specially commissioned Forever Held for its Space for Earth installation at headquarters in Washington, D.C. This audio-visual experience invites small groups to “see Earth as only space can show it—an interconnected world, free of boundaries or limits.”

Forever Held will journey to the moon as part of NASA’s Lunar Codex. The Codex is a time capsule containing works from over 35,000 contemporary creators. To date, seven “missions” have transported collections of art and culture from Earth to space.

Inspired by letters from NASA’s Creative Director and artist Erica Bernhard, where she often signs off with “Forever enveloped in your gravity,” Forever Held is scored with string arrangements by Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds. Poet and longtime collaborator Rick Holland crafted the title based on this phrase, reflecting the work’s themes.

In a statement, Jon Hopkins shared, “I saw this as an opportunity to create a timeless orchestral piece, something that embodies the feeling of being ‘held’ by the Earth. I wanted to convey both the fragility and strength of our planet and the role humanity plays in its destiny.”

Bernhard added, “The view from space shifts our perspective in profound ways—what astronauts call the ‘overview effect.’ Hopkins captures this shift through sound, blending the vastness of space with the pulse of life on Earth. His compositions form a bridge between worlds, evoking awe and wonder and inviting us to contemplate our place in the universe and our duty to the planet.”

Watch Bernhard’s video for Forever Held below.

This release follows other music-driven projects from NASA. Earlier this year, they became the first to send hip-hop into space, broadcasting Missy Elliott’s 1997 hit “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” toward Venus—her favorite planet. DJ Kerri Chandler also previously discussed his experience broadcasting his track “Atmosphere” into space.

NASA’s music endeavors extend to Earth, too: in February, the Kennedy Space Center hosted a techno party. Last summer, NASA launched its own free streaming platform, providing live launch broadcasts, documentaries, and mission updates, including the 2024 crewed Artemis II mission.

NASA’s engagement with music stretches back to November 2021 when they shared a sonified representation of the Butterfly Nebula. For this project, they turned data into sound to bring the nebula’s beauty to life.

Lastly, the UK producer recently dropped his seventh album, RITUAL. He also contributed to HAAi’s 2023 single “Always Ascending,” alongside KAM-BU.