Creative Brief

Artemis is a one-hour special documenting the launch of NASA’s Artemis I mission, marking a new era in human spaceflight and the return to lunar exploration. Renegade commissioned Little Shadow to produce a suite of on-screen explainer graphics that would help guide viewers through the rocket’s journey and complex launch timeline.

Our Approach

We created a detailed set of animated graphics to visualise the Artemis I mission’s phases, both on Earth and in space. Our key deliverables included:

• Rocket trajectory visualisation: 3D-style schematic graphics showing the rocket’s path through each mission stage, from launch, orbit insertion, trans-lunar injection, to splashdown. 
• Mission clocks and countdowns: On-screen time markers synced to key stages of the mission prep and launch sequence, helping viewers track events against real-time. 
• Supportive overlays: Additional elements, such as stage labels, burn durations, velocity changes, and altitude arcs, are designed for clarity and educational value. 

All visuals were crafted to blend seamlessly with the documentary’s tone, clean, factual, and future-facing. We used NASA’s official mission documentation as a reference to ensure technical accuracy, and delivered the assets as modular components for editorial flexibility.

The Results

The final graphics added depth and structure to a highly technical story, enabling viewers to understand Artemis I’s mission phases without prior knowledge of spaceflight. Our work was integrated throughout the hour-long special, helping set the pace and contextualise the historic launch.