Space Innovation: The Aerospace iLab Initiative

The Aerospace Corporation is the nation's Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) dedicated to the space enterprise. We are uniquely positioned to provide technical advice and advance the state-of-the-art of science and technology for space missions. This is an unprecedented time for space, and not since the days of Apollo have we witness this level of space activity. Major tidal forces---technology advances in adjacent areas, business innovation from new players in the space sector, and the critical need to protect satellite systems from a wide range of threats---are driving change in the space enterprise. Innovation will play a critical role in the transformation of how the nation acquires and utilizes space capabilities, and Aerospace is at the forefront of these changes with our Innovation Laboratory, or iLab Initiative. Through the iLab Initiative, we are developing new approaches to develop and accelerate innovation in the search of the next big ideas in space. The lessons we've learned from the initiative have implications for your organization's and the nation's relationship with innovation.