Small Satellite Production

August 3-8, 2019 | 33rd Annual Conference on Small Satellites

Driving a Revolution

Over the past few decades, small satellites have transitioned from one-of-a-kind systems performing very specific missions to being considered for constellations where they work in concert to achieve a larger purpose. Just as the Industrial Revolution, with its new manufacturing processes, marked a turning point in history, small satellites are poised to create a revolution in space. While mass production of small satellites conjures up thoughts of large factories with assembly line workers installing standardized products, it may not be that simple. To enable the high-volume production necessary to achieve the global coverage sought by commercial and government stakeholders, new considerations must be addressed regarding quality control, standards, and designing for manufacturability, and automated assembly, integration and test—all to be balanced with the cost considerations critical to startup investments.

During the 33rd AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, we will explore the technical issues, development considerations, and new opportunities that result from an ever-growing trend toward missions using tens, hundreds, or even thousands of small satellites to achieve revolutionary effects.