A Game of Risk; Navigating Launch as a Secondary Payload
- Paper number
IAC-18,B4,5,11,x43154
- Author
Ms. Jenny Barna, United States, Spire Global, Inc.
- Year
2018
- Abstract
Access to space continues to be one of the most expensive and high-risk elements in the business of operating a small satellite. This can have the unfortunate effect of making launch (and therefore the operation of small satellites in general) unattractive to investors and customers alike, however exciting it is for those in the space community. Since most of today’s small satellite industry is commercial in nature, and often privately funded, there should be a well understood approach to managing and mitigating risk so that this can be communicated to customers, investors, or any stakeholders of the project. The first step is learning to identify and understand the risks involved; and for today’s small satellite customers being launched as secondary payloads, the list of risks is long. As Director of Launch for Spire Global since 2014, Jenny Barna has navigated contract negotiation and technical mission execution across more than 15 launch campaigns. Through lessons learned across cancellations, delays, deployment and vehicle failures, licensing challenges and policy changes, her unique experience will be used to create a roadmap for small satellite operators heading to space. Specifically, she will help current and future small satellite operators ensure their own access to space by helping to: • Identify all of the risks (schedule, technical, regulatory and more) • Establish methods to manage and communicate risk • Find ways to mitigate the overall risk to your business • Effectively compare risk across available launch options
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)