Nasa Orbit Pavilion Lets World Science Festival Visitors Listen to Satellites

The US space agency has debuted a "Nasa Orbit Pavilion" at the World Science Festival in New York that is offering the visitors an auditory experience inspired by Nasa's Earth-watching satellites.

The visitors enter the curved metal enclosure and get to listen to calming sounds like waves crashing and crickets chirping, Space.com reported.

The sounds come from all directions - gliding from one end of the dome to the other on different paths.

These sounds represent each of the 20 active Nasa Earth satellites passing overhead.

A network of speakers creates the "movement" of the sounds.

"Most people do not know that Nasa studies the Earth. It is good to do Earth science from space because you get a global view," Dan Goods, Nasa visual strategist, was quoted as saying.

During the presentation, a Nasa presenter reminds the visitors that these satellites must be launched into space.

Then the speakers play the sound of a rocket taking off. The sound moves across curve of the structure, giving a realistic impression of movement. Then the calming sounds return.

Toward the end, a voice calls out the names of Nasa satellites currently studying the Earth as well as the International Space Station (ISS).

The eighth annual World Science Festival, ending on Sunday, has brought together the brightest scientists with the most interesting jobs on the planet.