SOLAR VIGNETTES
“Culture & Wealth”
Our solar system - a quiet oasis adrift in an endless sea of stars. Around our steadfast Sol, eight planets circle in their orbits, each one holding mysteries and stories we’re just beginning to uncover. With science as our guide, we’re venturing deeper into the cosmos than ever before. But what will we find? Will it reflect our own turbulent past - our habits of conquest and control - or might we finally imagine something greater?
In the 6 vignettes that follow, we glimpse worlds not yet real but dangerously within reach. Through the two main themes of Culture and Wealth, we’ll explore a reflection of our own humanity, set against the stars.
Think of these stories as a mirror, a question, and maybe, a little spark for what’s still to come.
“ CULTURE ”
The stories that accompany these designs offer a reflection on our relationship with culture and the cosmos. Our solar system alone holds countless mysteries that spark the imagination. Consider that Venus, rather than Mars, might actually be the better candidate for human settlement—if we could build floating cities above the clouds! These vignettes, set in worlds not yet real, imagine the daily struggles, ambitions, and triumphs of a future space-faring civilization, carrying the same human spirit we know today.
No matter how far we venture or how advanced we become, our need to dream, to rebel, and to despair stays timeless, echoing across worlds both real and imagined.
MARS : “A Moon’s Sacrifice”
“She was furious! She had been planning her trip for millions of years! Seeing Phobos reach the Roche point and be torn apart by Mars’ gravity was something she had been dreaming of witnessing for so long! But of course her saucer broke down just before launch and was now in the repair shop. She hesitantly borrowed Paul’s “Rust-Bucket”, which more than lived up to it’s name - there were moments when she wasn’t even sure she would reach Sol in one piece! At least now she knew why Paul was always late. And for the first time ever, so was she. When she finally arrived, the moons’ debris were already scattered around the planet and flattened into a disc. I guess a coffee-to-go will have to do…
MERCURY : “Sauna Apartment”
“The real-estate market has gone completely bonkers! Are there rooms and apartments available to rent? Yes! But are they within reach for a mere mortal like me - a humble teacher - without mortgaging the next five generations of my extended family? Sadly, no. When Ga-Ram announced she was moving to Andromeda, I knew I’d have to find a new place. I hope she misses me. Admittedly, I had been living off her (she was right, though I’d never admit it). Now, I’ve got my own modest spot near New Earth Megacity…on Mercury. Sure, the planet’s shrinking, so my backyard’s getting smaller by the day, but at least I don’t have noisy neighbors (it’s a one-person sauna planet). The only downside? No pets allowed 😔 … I really hope Ga-Ram misses me.”
SATURN : “The Rebel”
“Our runaway planet has been drifting through the cosmos, ‘snatching’ planetoids from other solar systems since long before recorded history. But this little ringed gas planet was a marvel - it was the first planet that didn’t sink! Naturally, the government wasn’t wasting any time; those vultures swooped in immediately. For the first time ever, they acted swiftly, shutting down the entire splash site to the public - and to us in the science community, too! They sent in those massive megacapital ships to strip it for economic gain. Imagine all the knowledge that’ll be lost forever!
I didn’t know how yet, but I had to stop them!”
“ WEALTH ”
Power and privilege have always steered humanity’s path, like unseen hands shaping our every ambition. Capitalism today feels almost like a cosmic pyramid scheme, convincing us that endless accumulation is somehow virtuous - it’s a cycle as old as the orbits of Saturn and Jupiter, surrounded by their own collected worlds, each one with stories and secrets it refuses to give up easily.
Throughout history, “being right” has often been dictated by wealth, paving the way for despotism and unchecked power. As John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton warned, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
And so, the question remains: does power compel us toward greatness, or does it simply expose our deepest flaws?
