I’ve been a fan of Andy Weir’s books ever since The Martian. I loved the way he combines science, problem-solving, humor, and an incredible sense of adventure, so when Project Hail Mary was adapted for the big screen, there was no question that I was going to see it in the theater.
And it was wonderful.
Actually, it was more than wonderful. Project Hail Mary quickly became one of my favorite movies in a long time. The story, the science, the visuals, the humor - and, of course, Rocky. Seeing that friendship come to life on screen was something very special. The movie stars Ryan Gosling as science teacher and astronaut Ryland Grace, who wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth with no memory of his mission. As he begins to piece everything together, he discovers that humanity is facing an extinction-level threat - and that he may not be as alone as he thought.
For anyone who hasn’t read the book yet, Project Hail Mary is a science-fiction adventure about survival, discovery, science, and an unexpected friendship. Published in 2021, the novel follows Ryland Grace on a desperate mission to save Earth from a mysterious threat affecting the Sun. Like The Martian, it is full of science and problem-solving, but Project Hail Mary takes the story much further into space - and into a very different kind of friendship.
And then there is Rocky.
The moment I saw Rocky’s dome in the movie, I knew I wanted to recreate it in stained glass.
There was something about its shape that felt almost made for this technique. The structure naturally breaks down into individual panels, with each piece of glass coming together to create the rounded form. In my version, the stained glass panels become my interpretation of Xenonite, while the soldered connections echo the way Rocky’s dome is constructed.
I also wanted to include a small detail that would feel especially familiar to people who loved the movie: the communication window between Rocky and Ryland. One of the triangular panels is made from textured glass, inspired by that window and designed as my own stained-glass interpretation of a flexible Xenonite panel.
I love the idea of taking something so futuristic and otherworldly and recreating it using such an old craft. Pieces of glass, copper foil, solder, light, and a lot of patience come together to transform an idea from a fictional world into something tangible.
And this is only the beginning.
Project Hail Mary is full of fascinating designs, objects, and little details that make its world so memorable. Rocky’s dome was simply the first one that made me think, I need to make this in stained glass.
That’s what I love about creating fan-inspired pieces: taking something that exists in a fictional world and translating it into a different medium - something you can actually hold, display, and see differently as the light moves through it.
