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For those who haven't encountered Akin's Laws [1]:

>>> 30. (von Tiesenhausen's Law of Engineering Design) If you want to have a maximum effect on the design of a new engineering system, learn to draw. Engineers always wind up designing the vehicle to look like the initial artist's concept.

[1] http://spacecraft.ssl.umd.edu/akins_laws.html

Fantastic list. Thanks for the link.
There's still great space art, though more is always better!

Check out the JPL's [Visions of the Future][1], play some [Elite][2] [Dangerous][3] and see the new [Cosmos][4].

[1]: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future/

[2]: https://www.simongriffee.com/notebook/experience-flying-spac...

[3]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djy83O0nfds "Video using Hans Zimmer's music from Interstellar."

[4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos:_A_Spacetime_Odyssey

Incomplete without mentioning Syd Mead:

http://www.curbed.com/2015/7/23/9937790/syd-mead-city-archit...

All of it came together with the "Colliers Space Program".[1] This was von Braun and Bonestell putting together a very elaborate presentation with great visuals on how to explore space.

Then Disney got hold of it.[2] The good part.[3] That show covers the first flight into space. The moon shot is in [4], narrated by Werner von Braun himself. There's the big von Braun wheel-type space station in earth orbit for refueling for the moon shot.

NASA is trying to re-create that level of enthusiasm. Unlikely.

[1] http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-great-1952-space-program-45351125... [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omWRxonewL4 [3] https://youtu.be/omWRxonewL4?t=2235 [4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZImSTxbglI

There is nothing as useful as an excellent image as a tool of communication. A good picture - for communication - does not attempt to present reality. Rather, it emphasizes those facets of reality from a point of view that are critical for the message that is wanted to communicate.

I think artist have been done great harm in making them believe the most important facet of their craft is abstract and theoretical. It is not. It's the direct effect the art conveys.

So Sci-Fi authors get a bad rap while its artists are yearned for .. I mean, can we not extend this observation to include those who push words, and not just paint, in order to inspire their fellow man?