Astronauts are undeniably cool, because space is cool. These are facts, and this is indisputable. Even though astronauts can be actually quite boring to talk to (hence funding space exploration is becoming an increasingly private, rather than public, affair), that they go into space, and do things almost no other human that has ever lived will do, makes them fascinating and interesting, and means that kids the world over want to be them.
When I was younger, I watched Apollo 13 and decided it was a great film, and then I wanted to be an astronaut. The fact that I am now, at this moment, writing about astronauts rather than being one tells you all you need to know about my intelligence levels relative to those required to go into space.
But, thanks to an Indonesian electric scooter, and a creative of the same nation, there is now a way to feel like an astronaut by just riding around on a silent two-wheeler. Or, at least that is the idea.
ArtStation’s Fajar Ismail has created the Stellar Landcraft, a kit designed for the Quest Atom Alpha electric scooter. The name is created thanks to the inspiration of the kit which comes from beyond the stratosphere, and the fact that it is a vehicle which is consigned to the mundane reality of remaining on the surface of the Earth.
The Stellar Landcraft is not just a visual update for the Quest Atom Alpha, though, as it also incorporates solar panels. This could actually be a big improvement from the base scooter, which has a range of only 24 kilometres. The solar panels could potentially increase that slightly, although it must be said that the climate of Indonesia is not one that is shared globally.
Speaking as a Brit who is currently sat under clouds with a temperature of 14 Celsius on 1 June, perhaps there could be another version that comes with wind turbines, or a hydroelectric dam. They could have names inspired by aircraft or boats, perhaps. After all, most astronauts are pilots first.
Images courtesy of ArtStation.
