TIME: Space Force

The Cold War Meets Star Wars

In 2020 – for the first time in history – the US accused Russia of a weapons test in space. TIME got the scoop, as it was embedded with Space Force working on a short doc at the time. Between White House rhetoric and a new spoof TV show starring Steve Carell, the public did not have a clear idea of what Space Force really was/is, and this short documentary was an attempt to remedy that.

TIME’s producers requested clear, elegant information design, but with a strong style and voice. When tasked with visualizing satellite activity, we decided to shy away from overused 3D renderings often seen in the context of outer space. Instead we leaned into clean information design that nodded to analogue schematics that lay the foundation for aerospace engineering.

Credits

Director & Editor: Alexandra Robson

Creative Director: Isaiah King

Design & Animation: Isaiah King & Daniel de Graaf

Reporter: W.J. Hennigan

Producers: Justine Simons & Jonathan Woods