10 stellar pieces of design inspired by space

06. What Space Really Looks Like

Nina Geometriva's space vision can be downloaded as a wallpaper

If this is what space really looks like for Singapore-based designer Nina Geometrieva, we'll have whatever she's drinking. Here Nina creates a gorgeous neon vision of space; all simple shapes, candy colours and swathed in a lovely warm glow. If you like what you see, it's available as a poster in assorted sizes, and also as a free desktop wallpaper for pretty much all your devices.

Plus, you can find out more about she created it here.

07. Orbital Mechanics

This image combines elements of trigonometry, old maps and astronomical imagery

This image combines elements of trigonometry, old maps and astronomical imagery

Russian designer Tatiana Plakhova describes her style as 'Complexity graphics': infographic abstracts based on mathematical simplicity and harmony. Orbital Mechanics is a glorious series of images created in Plakhova's complexity graphics style, using trigonometry, old maps, astronomical imagery and much more to create a visually rich set of depictions of the Earth and its place in the universe.

08. NASA

This incredible image is a photograph, not an illustration

This incredible image is a photograph, not an illustration

Sometimes you don't even need a designer; in a universe filled with infinite wonders, you just need a camera pointed in the right direction at the right time, and over the years NASA has sent a lot of cameras out into space.

We've already featured a collection of five of NASA's most stunning views of the universe, from the rings of Saturn to an epic collision between two far-off spiral galaxies. This amazing view of Saturn was taken in the planet's shadow, with the sun's rays backlighting the famous rings.

08. NASA Rebrand

Max Lapteff gave the NASA logo a typographic makeover

Max Lapteff gave the NASA logo a typographic makeover

While we're on the subject of NASA, take a look at this cracking piece of identity work by Russian designer Max Lapteff. Lapteff gives the NASA logo a smart and simple typographic makeover that's reminiscent of both previous NASA identities; the PF BeauSans Pro Bold letterforms are cut off at the bottom in a gentle arc that suggests the Earth in the foreground, while a solid circle, positioned where you'd often find a corporate trademark, suggests the Moon, and the whole thing has a thoroughly modern feel, quite at odds with the current NASA logo, which has been knocking around since 1959.

Lapteff has also created a series of images depicting his redesign in action, including a few playful treatments indicating how the logo can be adapted for individual space missions.

09. Dematerialisation

VFX artist and director John Smith – we suspect it's a pseudonym – has made a name for himself over the last couple of years with a handful of Doctor Who-inspired videos, including Wholock, in which the Doctor and Sherlock meet, and Rain, a trailer for series eight that many people took for the real thing.

Dematerialisation (above) is particularly stunning. In it, Smith reimagines the TARDIS dematerialisation process in a spectacular fashion, replacing the antiquated special effect with a one-shot flight through space and time.

10. Retro Space Shuttle Posters

These retro posters reference NASA's space programme

These retro posters reference NASA's space programme

To celebrate his love of the Space Shuttle, designer Aaron Draplin designed a set of delightful retro posters that evoke the spirit and excitement of NASA's much missed space programme. Featuring bright colours, bold typography and a sleek, minimal look, each edition of his design comes in a new colour scheme, to match the variety of Space Shuttle missions.

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Jim McCauley

Jim McCauley is a writer, performer and cat-wrangler who started writing professionally way back in 1995 on PC Format magazine, and has been covering technology-related subjects ever since, whether it's hardware, software or videogames. A chance call in 2005 led to Jim taking charge of Computer Arts' website and developing an interest in the world of graphic design, and eventually led to a move over to the freshly-launched Creative Bloq in 2012. Jim now works as a freelance writer for sites including Creative Bloq, T3 and PetsRadar, specialising in design, technology, wellness and cats, while doing the occasional pantomime and street performance in Bath and designing posters for a local drama group on the side.