Her Soyuz chair, for example, is meant to reproduce the three stages of the Soyuz rocket launch — an achievement that required the collaboration of astronaut Jean Pierre Haignere — and in her Moon Dust Remix project she invited several scientists to imagine the sound of Neil Armstrong's boots on the Moon in order to create a sound track out of it. In her experiments, the French designer has reflected on people's creative relationship with science by building small-scale volcanos in living rooms and looking for dark energy in her kitchen sink.
Ben Hayoun's space obsession has recently culminated in her largest endeavour to date, the International Space Orchestra. This time, she managed to put together a whole ensemble entirely consisting of members of the NASA Ames Research Center, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), Singularity University and the International Space University, later making them perform a stage opera inspired by control rooms. With the world's largest wind tunnel as a strikingly scenic backdrop, the painstakingly-choreographed performance is the apex of a documentary that premiered 25 January at the Rotterdam Film Festival.
![Top: Nelly Ben Hayoun in front of largest windtunnel in the world, at the NASA Ames Research Center during filming for <em>The International Space Orchestra</em>. Above: The International Space Orchestra Top: Nelly Ben Hayoun in front of largest windtunnel in the world, at the NASA Ames Research Center during filming for <em>The International Space Orchestra</em>. Above: The International Space Orchestra](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_6150_02_The-International-Space-Orchestra,-a-project-by-Nelly-Ben-Hayoun--Copyright-Nelly-Ben-hayoun,-Photo-Neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![A tie at the Ames Research Center A tie at the Ames Research Center](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_5029_03_Donald%27s-tie-_-NASA-Ames-research-Center_Photo-neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
The film is a surreal achievement, a work the author admittedly realised on a journey that brought her to test boundary after boundary
![Nelly Ben Hayoun in the NASA Ames Research Center Nelly Ben Hayoun in the NASA Ames Research Center](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_8843_04_Nelly-Ben-Hayoun-in-NASA-Ames-Research-center-photo-Neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![Filming <em>The International Space Orchestra</em> in front of largest windtunnel in the world, at the NASA Ames Research Center Filming <em>The International Space Orchestra</em> in front of largest windtunnel in the world, at the NASA Ames Research Center](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_3491_05_Filming-the-ISO-6th-september-in-front-of-largest-windtunel-in-the-world-at-NASA-Ames-Photo-by-Neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![Inside the 11 ft. transonic windtunnel, at the NASA Ames Research Center Inside the 11 ft. transonic windtunnel, at the NASA Ames Research Center](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_4752_06_In-the-11-foot-transonic-wind-tunnel-in-NASA-Ames-Photo-Neil-Berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![An International Space Orchestra rehearsal An International Space Orchestra rehearsal](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_4261_07_rehearsal-ISO-photo-Neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
Both The International Space Orchestra movie and project will be featured in Space Odyssey 2.0, an exhibition taking place at Z33 from 17 February to 19 May 2013 in Hasselt, Belgium.
![The International Space Orchestra rehearsing with Evan Price The International Space Orchestra rehearsing with Evan Price](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_8613_08_rehearsal-with-ISO-musical-director-two-time-grammy-award-Evan-Price-photo-Neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![Annette Rodrigues, International Space Orchestra ukelele player and astronaut trainer Annette Rodrigues, International Space Orchestra ukelele player and astronaut trainer](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_5826_09_Annette-Rodrigues-hukulele-player-and-astronaut-trainer--photo-neil-berrett-.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![Frank Caradonna, International Space Orchestra pianist and aeronautical engineer at NASA Ames Research Center Frank Caradonna, International Space Orchestra pianist and aeronautical engineer at NASA Ames Research Center](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_5452_10_Frank-Caradonna---ISO-pianist-and-aeronautical-engineer-at-NASA-ames_-Photo-neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![Astronaut Yvonne Cagle Astronaut Yvonne Cagle](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_5304_11_Astronaut-Yvonne-Cagle-Photo-Neil-berrett.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)
![Matthew Linton, International Space Orchestra cello player, portrayed at the NASA Ames Rescue Site. Photo by Nelly Ben Hayoun Matthew Linton, International Space Orchestra cello player, portrayed at the NASA Ames Rescue Site. Photo by Nelly Ben Hayoun](/content/dam/domusweb/en/design/2013/02/11/the-international-space-orchestra/big_405189_3133_12_Matthew-Linton,-ISO-cello-Player-in-NASA-Ames-Rescue-Site-photo-nelly-ben-hayoun.jpg.foto.rmedium.jpg)