The Importance of Space-Age Looks in the Age of Space Exploration
How NASA's Constellation Program's Status as an Ugly Child Hastened Its Demise
This led me to the understanding that to capture people's imagination, we have to develop systems that are visually appealing. As engineers we are used to follow the paradigm of "form follows function". However, what many fail to grasp is that the ability to inspire is also key function of the system. The Space Shuttle became a cultural icon because it looked so obviously different from what came before it. Personally, I clearly remember the sense of excitement when I first saw the X-33 Venturestar, and also the profound disappointment when I learned that NASA's Program Constellation would go back to being a cylinder with a tin-can on top.
When the Obama administration announced the cancellation of the Constellation program, the only people who cried in outrage were those somehow connected to the program - opeds by engineers decrying the doom of US crewed spaceflight were as plentiful as Viagra spam in my email inbox, but Jane Public really couldn't have cared less one way or the other. While the average person might express some disappointment with the pending retirement of the Space Shuttle, nobody cares if ARES I/V go bye-bye. Where the Space Shuttle is a cultural icon of humanity's drive to explore, the generic expendable rocket is .... well, expendable.
US human spaceflight has become so preoccupied with the minutiae of budgets and risk management, you won't find the word "dream" or "inspiration" mentioned anywhere. On the other hand, the success of endeavors like the Space Shuttle or more recently SpaceShipOne are etched into public awareness because they are just so recognizable - humans are visual creatures. And while non-US future systems like the Skylon have the looks to get people dreaming again, the present domestic lineup of bland looking cigars in white paint just doesn't. If this is supposed to be the space age, it better look like the space-age - if a program spends public money, then it better give the public something to be proud of and dream about.
Published by Ralph Ewig
An innovative problem solver and results oriented engineering professional, Dr. Ewig has 15 years of experience across all areas of space systems design, analysis, development, and testing. View profile
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