A grayscale pen stippling drawing shows a surreal landscape. In the upper right corner is an eye, peering at the Psyche spacecraft suspended beneath a large hand guiding it with delicate strings. A metallic humanoid figure looks at a flight path with a spyglass in front of its view. A desk is shown covered in books, cartographic instruments, and a mirror with a reflection of the Psyche asteroid.
A grayscale pen stippling drawing shows a surreal landscape. In the upper right corner is an eye, peering at the Psyche spacecraft suspended beneath a large hand guiding it with delicate strings. A metallic humanoid figure looks at a flight path with a spyglass in front of its view. A desk is shown covered in books, cartographic instruments, and a mirror with a reflection of the Psyche asteroid.
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Cartographer of the Cosmos

Brianna Blanchard

April 23rd, 2026

Major: Environmental Public Health

Genre/Medium: Black and white ink pens on paper

About the Work:

Cartographer of the Cosmos explores the act of mapping the unknown long before it can be reached and long after it has departed past human touch. The piece reflects a quieter, more bittersweet truth about exploration: that scientists and engineers devote years of care and precision to something that they must ultimately release into space, trusting it to continue on alone.

The metallic humanoid figure in this piece symbolizes a cartographer, representing the many collective minds that guide space missions. Suspended above the Psyche spacecraft is a hand guiding it with thin, puppet-line strings, a metaphor for the careful control and intentional design that has shaped its journey. Long before launch were countless decisions, calculations, and adjustments behind-the-scenes, all of which formed a fragile connection. Read more…

View the Full Project

Date Added: 04-23-2026
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Brianna Blanchard - Psyche Inspired

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