By Capt Shawn Hempsey and Capt Yeoju Kim

Captians Shawn Hempsey and Yeoju Kim attended the Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) general conference and Space Industry Days in Los Angeles, California.

The SpEC general conference was extremely interesting, as we learned about the newly established space consortium and the way that Space and Missile Command (SMC) is utilizing it to push innovation throughout their space portfolio. Over the past year the consortium has grown from zero to over 200 companies, all of which are vying for opportunities to help enable space superiority through advancements in methods, technical procedures, and process improvement.

SMC uses a methodology called OTA (other transaction authority) to provide funding to the consortium, which in turn will award a contract to one of its companies. The current threshold is $500M, and a majority of the ideas involve creating a prototype or a concept that will hopefully be used on a future program. It’s an awesome idea designed to work outside of the FAR and eliminate the frustration that comes with long award timelines and bureaucracy. The average award happens in 90 days and the RFP process is simplified, giving contractors the leeway to create prototypes and other capabilities in a fashion that they believe is best. SMC briefed different capabilities they would be looking for in the next couple years.

Space industry days brought together leaders from industry with leaders in the government to provide honest feedback to one another and brief future plans. The theme was “Re-imaging the Western Development Division” and the primary focus was on the speed at which the United States must acquire, develop, and propel satellites into space in order to stay ahead of our adversaries. The traditional acquisition timelines are too slow, leaving much of the dialogue to focus on how both sides can help each other succeed.

An interesting point came up about failure. The Air Force wants innovation and to push the boundaries with respect to space by “failing forward”, but in the eyes of industry failure isn’t really an option. They don’t want to fail (which makes complete sense), because the ramifications are catastrophic to both their business and the warfighter. For example, if a commercial satellite for DirecTV fails, the customer may not have NFL Sunday ticket for a period of time. If a government satellite fails, the warfighter may not have a certain capability for years. That’s an extreme example, but it’s true and the concept can be applied to slipping schedule on certain contracts, causing an impact to their award fees and or reputation. If the Air Force is asking for our partners in industry to push boundaries, it’s inevitable that there will be some struggles. It’s on industry to take smart risks, but it may require a change in mindset for the Air Force with respect to how we manage our contracts and expectations with industry. At the end of the day, it comes down to partnerships and a mutual understanding of the degrees of freedom that the government and contractors agree upon.

What can the government do to help?

• Quicker decision making and responsiveness to contractor
• Block buys provide stability to contractor and supply chain, explore when appropriate
• Cross check with joint partners to ensure work makes sense and there is no duplication
• Clearly state “what the requirement is” not “how to do it”
• Less turnover of technical personnel

What is industry looking at to improve speed and innovate across their business?

• Reparable or reusable while in space can save cost and schedule
• Ridesharing with respect to launch
• Process improvement across supply chain
• Sharing of technology and capabilities across multiple platforms
• Standard processes, collaboration within industry
• Satellites are already complex, and we have been building them for a while, most of the improvement should be expected in process
• Utilize commercial speed when it makes sense
• Take smart risks

Our favorite speaker of the week was Colonel Art Sellars, an Army infantry officer who provided the warfighter’s perspective. Colonel Sellars has deployed numerous times to Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 15 years, and he shared numerous anecdotes about how the technology and capabilities provided as a result of our success in space has grown exponentially. He also mentioned how it has saved the lives of both him and his men. He powerfully stated that the U.S. needs our industry partners to make sure that the future fight is unfair in our favor as a result of our dominance in the space domain.

Education With Industry (EWI), a program sponsored by SAF/AQH and managed by the Air Force Institute of Technology, is a highly selective, competitive non-degree educational assignment within an industry related to the fellow’s career field. 

The program is designed to develop qualities and abilities in selected officers and civilians necessary for effective management, professional, and technical leadership; and to provide an understanding of organizational structure, management methods, and technologies of modern industry.  By studying the best practices of industry, students are able to bring new knowledge, understanding, and empathy back into the Air Force to improve its processes.  In turn, the company benefits by receiving the fellow’s experience and perspective.