anda_ba x Karman Space Programme: the Rocket as a Cultural Object

anda_ba and the Karman Space Programme are proving that the future of innovation lies in collaboration, not competition. The design studio, known for its ability to move across scales and disciplines, has joined forces with the aerospace initiative to shape the creative direction of Karman’s upcoming Vega mission.

This partnership is not just about aesthetics, it is a rethinking of what space exploration can mean. For anda_ba, whose work consistently dissolves the borders between art, design, and research, the rocket becomes a new kind of material that holds both engineering intelligence and human imagination.

Founded in 2021, the Karman Space Programme was built on the principle of reaching space sustainably. In just a few years, it has evolved into a rich ecosystem, merging reusable launch systems, AI tools, humanoid robotics, and experimental propulsion technologies. Its team, drawn from engineering, computer science, and design disciplines, work with a shared language of curiosity and care.

For the Vega mission, the collaboration introduces two key touchpoints: the rocket’s outer shell and a uniform system. These are not accessories to the mission, but parallel design explorations, each investigating how material culture can exist in dialogue with technology.

The graphics, at once playful and philosophical, reimagine the rocket’s skin as a living diagram of motion, energy, and meaning.

The uniform system, developed alongside the rocket design, extends this vision to the human body. Drawing inspiration from aerospace gear, field uniforms, and traditional textile craft, the garments are engineered through a mix of digital precision and hand-led processes. Embedded within them are subtle references to Indian cosmology, nods to mythic alignments, and the idea of humans as travelers and storytellers.

Following the launch, a capsule collection designed by anda_ba will debut in London. Translating the rocket’s visual vocabulary into textiles, garments, and objects, each piece becomes a tactile reflection of the mission, a way for earthbound participants to wear fragments of a story that began in orbit. These pieces transform a technical moment in space history into something personal and embodied.

To mark the Vega release, a public exhibition will feature key artefacts from the mission: the recovered rocket engine, high-definition launch footage, the Byredo diffuser, and physical casts of the uniforms. Together, they form an archive of how art, design, and technology can cohabit the same gravitational field.