The First Social Network for Outerspace

“She liked the idea of doing something that wasn't scientific,” Lupi told Wired magazine. “Something that reminded people on Earth that there is a human up there talking to them.” With terabytes of data to work with, our primary challenge was to design an experience that brought home the feeling of a personal connection against astronomical odds.

In conceptualizing a platform, we took inspiration from the magic of ordinary meetings and decided on a friendly greeting for users to establish contact with Cristoforetti. The app’s nexus would be a green button with one word: “Hello!” Data fueled the experience, but a simple salute determined the course of development.

Meanwhile, we brainstormed additional features that would keep users engaged over the course of Cristoforetti’s six-month mission. We considered the audience’s likely interests and the broader motif of serendipitous encounters and determined to include components that allowed users to follow along with the journey and connect with like–minded armchair astronauts in the process.