Striking a balance between commercial-off-the-shelf and custom-made space grade components

Military and civil missions are expected to use more commercial hardware in the near future. As the space industry in general is becoming more commercialized, testing and verification processes of spacecraft components continue to be reduced and streamlined to perform safely and cost-effectively. The integration of commercial-off-the-shelf components (COTS) has put pressure on custom-made components and parts that traditionally are more expensive and take longer to produce.

In this session, integrators and component manufacturers will come together to discuss the following topics, questions and challenges in relation to future component development:
• What are advantages and disadvantages of pushing more toward COTS solutions as opposed to custom-designed capabilities, especially for civil and national security space acquisition?
• For which services should U.S. government lean more heavily on commercial solutions and for which should they lean more heavily on traditional approaches to acquisition?
• What are the big challenges of working with U.S. civil and defense space agencies for space acquisition?

Moderator:
· Robert (Sam) Wilson – Space and Nuclear Policy Analyst, Center for Space Policy & Strategy, The Aerospace Corporation

Speakers:
· Chris Winslett – Program Director, SDA Transport Layer, Lockheed Martin
· Jack Mawson – US Sales Director, Sensonor