Summary
When you hear the phrase “Space Industry,” you probably associate it with words like “futuristic” and “cutting edge.” That’s certainly the case for private space companies, but not within the Department of Defense. Until recently, our nation’s satellites have been operated by applications with inconsistent 1990s interfaces, and DoD operators have suffered because of it. But thanks to an Enterprise UX Design Company (coincidentally named “Rocket Communications”), that’s all changing. This is the incredible story of how the first UX Design System for Space Applications came to be, and what it– and Rocket– has done to transform the DoD Space Enterprise.
Key Insights
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Military space systems rely on thousands of satellites crucial for everyday life, including GPS, banking, and defense.
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The majority of military satellite software is outdated, built in silos by different contractors, leading to inconsistent UX and operational risk.
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Operators often face steep learning curves with different systems on new assignments, despite similar satellite functionalities.
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China's 2007 anti-satellite missile test demonstrated real threats to US space assets and highlighted the need for resilient operations.
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Rocket Communications was brought in by Harris Corporation in 2015 to create UX guidelines after a stalled military satellite app project.
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The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) initially had no coordinated plan for solving systemic UX issues in space systems.
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Building the Astro design system took five years and required extensive education both of military leadership and contractors.
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Direct engagement with SMC leadership, including General Raymond, was critical to gaining program support and accelerating adoption.
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Convincing defense contractors to adopt Astro was challenging since contracts predated UX requirements, but a prototype suite demo helped.
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Astro is now mandated for all new enterprise cross-mission ground applications, marking a major cultural and technological shift.
Notable Quotes
"Our modern way of life is actually really dependent on satellites. We can't even live without them."
"The satellite systems are built in stovepipes, completely disconnected and siloed between different contractors."
"The software is so antiquated that operators barely have time to learn one system before moving to another with different UX."
"China blew up one of their satellites to demonstrate they could threaten ours, creating a huge debris field."
"The operators expected to use a suite of applications that had nothing consistent across them."
"I had no idea how to work with the military, and I didn't even know what I didn't know."
"They didn’t want us to fit in with their culture, they wanted outsiders to help them."
"Nobody deserves to be at a party, especially alone. If you see someone, even a general, standing by themselves, walk up to them."
"Convincing defense contractors to adopt UX was slow because contracts were already signed years ago."
"This year it became a mandate for all companies to use the Astro design system on new SMC contracts."
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