Strauss’ “The Blue Danube” is heading into space this month to mark the 200th anniversary of the waltz king’s birth.
The waltz will be beamed into the cosmos as it is performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
The celestial send-off on May 31 – live-streamed with free public screenings in Vienna, Madrid and New York – will also celebrate the founding of the European Space Agency (ESA) 50 years ago.
Although the music could be converted into radio signals in real time, according to officials, ESA will relay a pre-recorded version from the orchestra’s rehearsal the day before to avoid any technical issues. The live performance will provide the accompaniment.
The radio signals will hurtle away at the speed of light, or more than 1 billion km/h (670 million mph).