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NASA
"Reaching for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind"
Partnership Research
Collaboration Across Organizations






Knowledge
Creation
Business Management & Growth
Facilitating
Communication
Plans
Service
Strategy
User
Centered
Value
Creation, Exchange,
In-use
PROJECT TYPE
MY ROLE
ZOOM TEAM MEMBERS
DURATION
Kyushik Nam
Eika Weber
Lingyu Xie
Shibo (Oliver) Li
Hayoung Ra
Ayusha Mehrotra
3.2021-5.2021
Research
Graphics
Visual Language
Visual Language
Design Management
PROJECT BRIEF
COLLABORATION RESEARCH
Through research learnings within the field of Design Management we hoped on establishing a design visual model that explains the value of collaboration with 1,000 external partners, and by assessing the partnerships between NASA and its Human Landing System program partners - SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics.
SECONDARY RESEARCH

ARTEMIS PROGRAM OVERVIEW
NASA's Artemis missions centralize diversity at the front of human space exploration to the Moon, allowing them to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, towards the next major step of landing a crew on Mars.
Learn More on Hover.
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ARTEMIS
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APRIL 2021
Current Stage
ARTEMIS I
Launching in 2021
Un-crewed flight to test the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft together
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ARTEMIS II
Targeted for launch in 2022
The first crewed flight test of
the Space Launch System Orion
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ARTEMIS III
Land astronauts on the Moon by 2024. Thereafter land astronauts once a year after 2024
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ROCKET VEICHLES
Our team was tasked with researching and understanding the complex collaborative culture within NASA through the lens of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS).
NASA SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), is a super-heavy-lift launch vehicle that provides the foundation for human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit. With its unprecedented power and capabilities, SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and cargo to the Moon on a single mission.
Learn More on Hover.
SLS ROCKET
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SPACEX STARTSHIP
SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket (collectively referred to as Starship) represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry in excess of 100 metric tones to Earth orbit.
Learn More on Hover.
STARSHIP SN15

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“Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push boundaries of our scientific and technicial limits and then push farther.”
“Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the Universe and the hisotry of our solar system.”
- NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIP
Our team was tasked with researching and understanding the complex collaborative culture within NASA through the lens of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS).
COMMON SPACE
COMMON SPACE
Collaboration Goal between partnerships. Human Space Exploration.

A SWOT and STEEP Analysis of NASA and SPACEX's major partnership gives similarities already shared (highlighted). It also showcases: transparency across all companies involved, allowing for resource distribution, risk management, quality control, and budgeting.
As a result, through information sensitivity, it would enable quick decision making for a successful overall mission and Partnership trust.
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SWOT
STEEP
PARTNERSHIP POSTER
NASA and SpaceX are two of the most influential companies in the space industry, intending to advance human space exploration to and beyond Mars. According to NASA's website, "people are compelled to explore the unknown, find new worlds, test the bounds of our scientific and technological limits, and then push farther" (NASA, n.d.). Pursuing this objective will aid Earth's human civilization in answering questions about our place in the universe and the solar system's evolution. NASA and SpaceX are currently focusing their long-term plans on Mars and the possibility of human life stretching beyond Earth.
To achieve this purpose, both of these American institutions must continually collaborate remain transparent with each other over the entire course of the big picture mission of human exploration to Mars, despite their vastly different internal work processes.
We believe NASA and SpaceX should exchange knowledge and resources, divide and conquer near-term goals, and be open about their disagreements in the spirit of transparency.
FINAL DESIGN
We'd want to focus on their disparities in their financial structure before moving on to their contrasts in internal work procedures. Every year, congress allocates a yearly budget to NASA, which is utilized to explore space as efficiently and economically as possible. SpaceX is structured differently since they need to generate revenue and, in the long run, profit in order to sustain their human space exploration missions.
NASA and SpaceX have vastly different internal work methods. NASA is a large bureaucratic organization with several levels of hierarchy that can be inefficient at times. NASA is also required to submit reports to Congress and the American public. NASA is accountable to the government, even though it is not under any financial constraint.
SpaceX is a young company with a lean management structure. SpaceX is built to provide value to customers while consuming the fewest resources possible. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, is a brilliant product architect and master engineer who believes in failing fast, often, and cheaply.
The outside designs of their spaceships, interior designs of their crew module, and the outfit design of their spacesuits all reflect this design-centered and engineering-focused philosophy. This internal work culture has transformed the space sector and helped them gain contracts from NASA and other international governments and enterprises.
If NASA and SpaceX can maintain their transparency, they have a chance to become the first country and private firm to land on Mars.
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© ASHLEY MONTALVO | 2021 | SERVICE & UX DESIGNER | ashleymf5@gmail.com
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