Guitarist Tom DeLonge grew up captivated with the cosmos and the unknowns of
outer space. Later in his career, DeLonge became a notable
ufologist, founding the
To the Stars, which was instrumental in bringing to light classified
Pentagon reporting on
unidentified aerial phenomena. in the
International Space Station's
Cupola "Asthenia" explores an imagined scenario set in space. During the writing process, DeLonge envisioned a scenario with a
astronaut gazing out of the window of a space capsule. The astronaut contextualizes the negative aspects of his
home planet—conflict, chaos, and global unrest—and questions if it is worth returning. The song's title stems from the medical term for
weakness; "Asthenia" begins with an extended,
ambient intro that utilizes
NASA transmissions from the
Apollo 9 space flight. The song employs unusual
mic techniques; the intro was achieved by recording the guitar through a failing
Leslie speaker with a blown-out
tube for excessive noise and scratchiness. In the verses, which are accented with
handclaps, DeLonge pleads for connection from the astronaut's perspective, describing the spacecraft cabin as "void of all passion" and asking the
mission control center: "Where are you,
Houston? Is somebody out there? Will somebody listen?" The working title for the song was "I Should Have Got Caught". In an interview, DeLonge expounded on his influences for the song: ==Reception==