Cool or Clunky? The Aesthetics of Spaceflight

Summary: As SpaceX continues to dominate the spaceflight industry, one of the knock-on effects is an expectation that spacecraft should not only be functional but also aesthetically pleasing. From Falcon 9 to Dragon to Starship to Super Heavy, SpaceX is producing vehicles that perform well while looking amazing in the process. And these aspirational vehicles are serving to inspire the general public to take a long overdue interest in human space exploration.

Transcript:

Cool or Clunky? The Aesthetics of Spaceflight.

Welcome to the Edge of Space.

I’m your host, Randall C. Kennedy.

If you’re a space nerd like me, you probably grew-up watching a healthy dose of science fiction. And if there’s one constant in that genre, it’s that the world of fictional spaceflight always looks way cooler than the one we live in.

Whether it’s the sleek lines of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise or the minimalist interiors of the Imperial Death Star, everything looks smooth and polished, often to the point of impracticality.

And for those of us who’s interests carry over into the world of real-life spaceflight operations, the sense of disappointment at the “clunky,” function-over-form appearance of many of today’s leading vehicles is hard to ignore.

Simply put, the majority of modern spacecraft look like crap. They’re blocky, bulky, and about as streamlined as deep-sea oil rig.

The lone exception, of course, is the current slate of vehicles from SpaceX. From Crew Dragon to Starship, SpaceX knows how to make an aesthetically pleasing machine. They’re sleek, smooth, and…well…just plain cool to look at.

Other vehicles look clunky by comparison.

For example:

Starliner? Clunky. Crew Dragon? Cool!

ULA Atlas 5? Clunky. Falcon 9? Cool (if a bit sooty).

Ariane 5? Clunky. Super Heavy? Cool!

In fact, as we browse through a montage of vehicle interiors and exteriors, it’s easy to sort the clunky from the cool.

Clunky (SLS). Cool (Starship Full Stack)!

CLUNKY (Alpaca Lander)? COOOOL (HLS)!

SUPER Clunky (Starliner Cockpit)! VERY cool (Dragon Cockpit)!

Frankly, that last shot of Starliner’s launch couch has me thinking of another, visually disturbing “chair.

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So, why am I harping so hard on aesthetics? After all, in the world of spacefaring “tin cans” where a few inches of ceramic and metal are all that sand between you and the vacuum of space, function most definitely trumps form.

Yet, the quest for space is also about aspiration. We aspire to conquer the stars. And, like so many things in life, the vehicles we use to accomplish this goal should be equally aspirational.

In fact, it’s a truism whose roots can be traced to our everyday, terrestrial lives.

Take Apple, for example. Everyone who needs a personal computer to get work done could almost certainly get by with a run-of-the-mill Windows laptop. However, people ASPIRE to own and use an Apple MacBook

It’s not because MacBooks are technically superior – you get a lot more bang for your buck elsewhere. It’s because they’re sleek, streamlined, and incorporate the kind of industrial design language that connects with customers on an emotional level.

SpaceX vehicles connect with us in the same way. We don’t just want to fly to space. We want to fly to space in a sleek, white, streamlined capsule filled with thoughtful, minimalist design elements and cool touch screens to control the vehicle’s functions.

Never mind that, once the bugs are worked out, Starliner can accomplish the same mission, with the same general flight parameters, as Crew Dragon.

But, put both capsules in front of a bright-eyed, space-enthusiastic child and ask them which ship THEY’D prefer to fly in?

I think we all know the answer!

And the need to INspire the next generation to ASpire to the stars is too often overlooked. Thus, we space nerds are forced to consume science fiction content to get our hit of “cool spaceship” energy.

But now, SpaceX is bringing that sci-fi aesthetic into the real world. And we get to see it in action over and over again.

Each time a Falon 9 booster launches and then lands, it tickles our inner sci-fi geek. “Cool” is the word most frequently associated with the sight of SpaceX’s sleek, orbital class workhorse coming in for a landing, along with the phrase “It never gets old!”

Indeed, it never does get old – because it FEELS new! And modern! And just a bit…sci-fi!

As a child of the 80s, I got a similar vibe from the Space Shuttle. Sure, the SRBs and center fuel tank were a shade “clunky.” But the Shuttle, itself, just looked…cool! Like it wouldn’t seem out of place in a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster (shuttle launch scene from 5^th element).

At least conceptually.

And for the current generation, Starship is the new aspirational spaceflight vehicle. Its sheer size, coupled with its audacious booster tower catches and landing flip maneuvers, just screams out the “coolness” factor.

You WANT to fly on one, because it’s the closet thing scale-wise to the grand, elaborate spaceship designs of our dreams.

Simply put, Elon Musk and SpaceX are capturing the imaginations of an entire generation – through their outrageously ambitious goals for Starship, Artemis, and the colonization of Mars.

I mean, who doesn’t get goosebumps at the sight – albeit just in animation – of a FLEET of Starships setting “sail” for their new home on the Red Planet?

It’s inspirational. It’s aspirational. And it hits people right in the “feels.” Which is exactly what the spaceflight industry needs for it to retain the support and enthusiasm of the general public.

It’s why SpaceX EVA suits look like they walked out of an Armani store – they’re aspirational.

It’s why Butch and Suni were “rescued” from the ISS – the story is inspirational.

And it’s why Elon Musk is “sacrificing everything” to ensure that the “light of human consciousness” is never extinguished.

In each case, it’s all about the “big swing” that sparks imaginations and excites a generation. And the more you can connect with the public’s inner sci-fi Zeitgeist, the greater you can inspire them to aspire…to the stars.

Bottom Line: SpaceX could make ugly rockets just like every other spaceflight company. But Elon Musk knows the importance of a sleek, visually appealing, minimalist design – just look at a Tesla, or even a Starlink terminal. So, while we don’t NEED our rockets to look like our sci-fi imaginations dreamed them, I’m sure glad that, at least in the case of Spacex, some of them really do look…well…cool!

Anyway, thanks for watching. If you liked this content, please take a moment to smash the like button and subscribe to the channel. And don’t forget the notification bell so you’re alerted when our next space-related rant drops.

But in the meantime, remember: Don’t look up! Because it might be a SpaceX rocket, and human beings can only handle so much awesome.