By Eric Burk
eric@gilavalleycentral.net
CASA GRANDE – The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to reports of a space capsule that landed near I-10 in Casa Grande on Monday morning. The capsule, which had the parachute still attached and apparent burn marks near its base, has markings identifying Captain J. Millard, with the United States as the country of origin.
After DPS arrived on scene to investigate, they tweeted, “It appears an artist got creative near Casa Grande and turned a cement truck drum into a space capsule!”
The capsule is located in a field on the west side of I-10, just north of Kortsen Road, on the edge of Auza Farms. The artist, Jack Millard, said, “It seemed forgotten and certainly abandoned. I thought it looked like something that had fallen from the sky. I wanted to give it new life.”
Contributed Photo/Courtesy Aimee Madsen: Jack Millard, captain of the Casa Grande Capsule, was inspired to repurpose the concrete drum when he saw it lying in the desert.
Millard’s project has gained media attention across the United States and even in the United Kingdom. Millard’s artistic goal is to distract viewers from everyday troubles.
“As an artist, my mission is to find beauty and magic in things others would consider junk.” he said.
The capsule is not the only cement mixer turned spaceship in the U.S. Near Winganon, Oklahoma, an older capsule can be seen on the east side of Highway 169.
