Communication is both an act and a choice - a reflection of humanity’s innate drive to share, preserve, and connect across time, cultures, and space. In this spirit, a US innovation platform Barrelhand, in collaboration with UNESCO, presents Memory Disc V3, a coin-sized space module designed to safeguard cultural and linguistic heritage for millennia. Set to accompany major international lunar missions in 2025 and 2027, this cutting-edge artifact represents a new milestone in cultural preservation and interstellar communication.

Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant-Director General for Communication and Information at UNESCO, highlighted the initiative as a meaningful step in safeguarding cultural and linguistic heritage - on Earth and beyond.

“Languages carry the knowledge, identity, and worldviews of peoples. Through our work on multilingualism and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, UNESCO strives to ensure that no language - and no culture - is left behind in this inspiring project.”

Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information

Originally conceived by Barrelhand as a psychological anchor for astronauts, Memory Disc has evolved into a universal platform for cultural preservation and connection. Measuring just 19mm in diameter, 1.2mm thick, and weighing 1.4 grams, the disc is made of raw nickel and utilizes NanoFiche™ nano-engraving technology to encode curated date at an ultra-high resolution of 133,000 DPI - capturing features as small as 200 nanometers, nearly 420 times finer than a human hair. Unlike conventional digital media, it requires no power and does not degrade over time - allowing the engravings to survive for millions, even billions of years. Resistant to cosmic radiation, extreme temperature fluctuations, and the vacuum of space, it remains permanently accessible through simple optical magnification, safeguarding universal knowledge, much like the Rosetta Stone of the Ptolemaic era in Egypt.

Michael Sorkin, Co-Founder of Barrelhand and the lead designer behind the Memory Disc, reflected on its deeper purpose:

“Memory Disc is both an archive and a bridge - designed to resonate with any intelligence driven by curiosity. Over the past five years, its creation has been a deeply rewarding thought experiment through psychological, physical, and spiritual dimensions of human experience. As we prepare for life beyond Earth, it stands as an invitation to reflect on who we are and who we might become.

Michael Sorkin, Co-Founder Barrelhand

Memory Disc V3 Stores

286 Translations of UNESCO’s Constitution Preambulatory sentence: ”Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace must be constructed.” This powerful sentence, which embodies UNESCO’s founding vision, has been translated 286 times underscores the universal relevance of languages as a tool for communication and peace. The collection celebrates linguistic diversity as a cultural foundation and potential key for future civilizations to recognize semiotic patterns and interpret meaning without relying on shared language. As we mark the third year of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL 2022–2032), which UNESCO coordinates, this collection reaffirms the enduring role of language in uniting humanity - on Earth and beyond. Through this initiative, UNESCO works to promote and preserve low resource languages, Indigenous languages and sign languages recognizing their vital importance for cultural transmission, knowledge systems, and the future of humanity.
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‍106 Curated Artworks: This collection, spanning 30,000 years and all continents, bridges classical and contemporary artistic expression. Alongside works by historical and traditional masters, it features 17 contributions from living artists such as Kara Walker, George Rouy, Yoshitaka Amano, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Liu Xiaodong, and Chloe Wise. Two children’s paintings from the Real Options for City Kids (R.O.C.K.) foundation further underscore that connection and meaning can emerge from any voice regardless of age, origin, or era.

‍Original French Edition of Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: As a literary and philosophical work, Le Petit Prince embodies multi-layered storytelling, using allegory and metaphor to explore human perception, curiosity, and emotional depth.

‍Visual Sound Recording by Richard D. James (Aphex Twin): An ultra-high-resolution audio waveform, visualized as a standalone hieroglyph of sound.

‍Universal Metrics and Navigation Section: Providing fundamental insights and directional references, this section also incorporates data inspired by the Voyager Golden Record (1977), including its pulsar map - humanity’s first attempt to communicate its cosmic coordinates to any potential extraterrestrial intelligence.

The Enduring Language of Art

Long before written language, humans communicated through art, leaving their mark on stone, from the 30,000-year-old cave paintings of Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc in France to the rock art near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi, India, dating back to at least 2500 BC. Their meaning remains fluid, evolving with each interpretation - an enduring reminder that some expressions are meant to evoke, not explain. These early works were thought experiments, created without certainty of who might one day interpret them. The Memory Disc continues this lineage, not as a fixed statement, but as an open-ended invitation to discovery.

George Rouy, a British artist internationally recognized for his fluid and introspective compositions, whose work Formless Being is on board of Memory Disc V3, shared his perspective on its selection and parallels within the broader context of the mission.

“Formless Being presents multiple states of being, consolidated in a singular image. The title and the image refer to no fixed state, the infinite quest for definition in an infinity that is ever-changing. Bodies and landscapes are not fixed units; they are constantly re-imagined and re-defined through their relationship with themselves, with others, and with worlds at large. This mission offers the culture of our world on Earth an entirely new horizon and opportunity for new encounters, stripped of Earthly conventions.”

George Rouy, UK based artist

Yoshitaka Amano, the visionary Japanese artist whose work Hiten (飛天) is also featured on the Memory Disc V3 and who is known for shaping the visual world of Final Fantasy, reflected on the enduring role of artistic expression.

“Art has the power to transcend time and history. It must express the fundamental elements of our humanity, showing that our present will one day become the past. This understanding brings with it a significant responsibility, yet I embrace this responsibility with joy. As I aim for the myths of the future, I create my works with a sense of fun and imagination. If someone in the future finds happiness through viewing my work, there could be no greater joy for me. I am eagerly awaiting messages from the future.”

Yoshitaka Amano, Japan based artist

International Space Mission Integrations:

Memory Disc marks a first in modern space exploration, integrating cultural preservation as a fundamental element of international missions. Following its debut aboard the Intuitive Machines IM-1 lander during the first U.S. commercial lunar landing in February 2024, and the successful integration of Memory Disc V2 into a private Japanese mission currently en route to Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold), a large lunar plain in the Moon’s northern hemisphere for a planned landing on June 5 UTC/EDT - Memory Disc V3 is set for three additional spacecraft integrations across two international lunar missions by 2027.

The first mission, Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1) by U.S.-based Astrobotic Technology, is scheduled to land in the Nobile Region near the lunar south pole in late 2025, as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. It will carry two distinct integrations of the Memory Disc V3: one mounted on the side panel of the Griffin lunar lander as part of the official NanoFiche payload for long-term stationary preservation, and another installed on the FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover by Astrolab. The rover will traverse the Moon’s surface, conducting scientific studies and transporting payloads across the lunar terrain. This marks the first time in spaceflight history that a record of human expression is traveling aboard a mobile lunar platform.

Jaret Matthews, CEO and Founder of Astrolab, emphasized that cultural preservation in space is not just about safeguarding history, but about ensuring continuity for future explorers and civilizations, fostering a lasting connection between humanity’s past, present, and future.

“Astrolab’s mission has always focused on moving humanity forward and helping to lay the foundation for humans to become a multiplanetary species. Carrying the Memory Disc on the FLIP rover gives us an opportunity to celebrate humanity's accomplishments as we collect data and conduct science that will enable humanity to take that next step forward.”

Jaret Matthews, CEO and Founder Astrolab

The second mission will carry Memory Disc V3, which will be integrated onto the ispace-Europe rover and deployed onto the lunar surface from the APEX 1.0 lunar lander as part of ispace technologies U.S. (ispace-U.S.) Mission 3. The lander is currently scheduled to launch to Schrödinger Basin, a prominent impact basin on the far side of the Moon near the southern lunar highlands, in 2027.

Julien Lamamy, CEO of ispace Europe, addressed the broader role of private industry and technological innovation in cultural preservation.

“As humanity explores space, it is essential that we carry not just our technology, but also our stories, values, and heritage. Through collaboration with governments, cultural institutions, and private partners, Ispace is helping to establish a framework for preserving human history beyond our planet - ensuring that the legacy of Earth travels with us as we explore new frontiers.  Ispace Europe offers opportunities through our rovers and lunar landers for customers focused on exploring the Moon and developing the cislunar economy as well as cultural artifacts meant to enrich our lives.”

Julien Lamamy, CEO ispace Europe

In addition to the lunar integrations, Barrelhand is actively working to bring the Memory Disc to upcoming crewed missions and deep space probes, extending its reach well beyond the lunar terrain. In partnership with UNESCO, Barrelhand continues to shape a sustainable framework for cultural preservation in space - one that recognizes that what we carry beyond Earth should reflect not only our capabilities, but also our values.

Learn more about the Memory Disc initiative and our official space missions here.

About

Barrelhand: Barrelhand Inc., based in California, is a privately owned innovation platform advancing access to the space economy. Through collaborations with industry leaders, scientists, artists and cultural institutions, Barrelhand drives research and development at the intersection of technology, exploration, and the human experience, shaping the future of human life beyond earth.

UNESCO:The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to fostering peace, promoting sustainable development and facilitating intercultural dialogue through education, sciences, culture, and communication and information.