We were approached by the UK Space Agency to create a series of animations to promote LaunchUK, the UK’s commercial spaceflight programme. We had to visually communicate complicated technical concepts, such as spaceports, launch vehicle technology and different types of orbit.

This animation, the second in the series, focused on spaceflight licences – how government regulates the industry to enable safe and sustainable commercial spaceflight.

Challenges included differentiating between the four types of licence, showing different launch vehicles (spaceplane, rocket and balloon) while not favouring one, and showing different activities that take place in space, all while keeping the animation as short as possible. Simple line drawings and deft transitions bring everything together in a clear, simple way.