Ceridwen Dovey, an award-winning science writer, was in the midst of working on the final installment of her new short story collection, Only the Astronauts, when she received the devastating news of her thyroid cancer diagnosis. The collection delves into the story of NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, launched in 1977 and still exploring space to this day. Despite the challenging time of her diagnosis, Dovey found solace in contemplating the Voyager twins as they journeyed through interstellar space.
Each story in Dovey’s collection is narrated from the perspective of a human-made object in space, showcasing the author’s deep fascination with the cosmos. Her love for space traces back to her profile of Australian space archaeologist Alice Gorman, also known as Dr. Space Junk, published in the New Yorker in 2017. During her cancer treatment, Dovey turned her attention to exoplanets, planets found in other solar systems, which served as a source of endless fascination and inspiration for her next writing project.
In her collection, Dovey explores the extraordinary magic that human-made objects in space hold for those on Earth. Objects like the Fallen Astronaut sculpture on the Moon and Starman, the mannequin launched into orbit by SpaceX, captivated Dovey’s imagination. Starman, in particular, became the focus of one of the stories in the collection, where Dovey gives the mannequin a voice and explores themes of love, betrayal, and mortality.
Another story in the collection, titled Requiem, delves into the contemplation of the aging International Space Station (ISS) as it faces its impending decommissioning. Dovey’s research into the fate of the ISS led her to explore the emotional journey of the space station as it reflects on its own mortality and the loss of the astronauts who called it home.
Poet Alicia Sometimes, who was working on a collection of poetry inspired by her love of space, also found comfort in the stars during her battle with cancer. She draws parallels between astronomy and poetry, highlighting the abstract and intellectual nature of both disciplines. Sometimes emphasizes the longstanding human tradition of gazing at the night sky and pondering existential questions, noting the significance of Indigenous astronomy in understanding our place in the universe.
While the prospect of human colonization of space looms closer, Dovey questions the necessity of sending humans to space at all. She believes that our relationship with space has been shaped by astronauts rather than poets or writers, leading to a limited perspective on the cosmos. Dovey advocates for a shift in the language and narratives surrounding space exploration, emphasizing the importance of diverse voices and perspectives in shaping our understanding of the universe.
In conclusion, the stories of Ceridwen Dovey and Alicia Sometimes highlight the profound connection between creativity, exploration, and the cosmos. Their work serves as a reminder of the enduring fascination and wonder that space holds for humanity, inspiring us to contemplate our place in the vast expanse of the universe.