Cubesat development: enthusiasm, clock reset and collective intimacy for innovation

Abstract

This contribution returns to the experience of several cubesat missions (UPSat, UCLSat, Lunah-Map) as described in the recent book “Cubesats: Invading and Shaping the Space industry” (Chrysos & Appio, 2024) from a perspective of innovation management and industrial dynamics. Standard management approaches such as project management and modularity reach their limits as the teams go beyond what is initially planed. While innovating the way to space has always been a characteristic of original space missions, cubesat development takes particular characteristics due to tight size, budget and time constraints. Privileging the specific view point of cubesat developers, lessons learned are summarized in three axes: 1) stakeholder enthusiasm for contributing in a potential paradigm shift, 2) “resetting the clock” of the spacecraft development history through selective knowledge reuse and innovation and 3) developing a place for collective intimacy to host a living process for technological development.

Keywords: cubesats, innovation management, disruption, developer innovation, technological emergence, space exploration

JEL Classification: O1