Acquisition CultUre

New Culture, New Approaches

In today’s environment of record deficits and budget constraints, extrapolating the space access business model of the past into the future simply will not work. There is a need to identify more efficient ways to access space and achieve the mission safely and affordably. This demands a fundamental change in culture, and acceptance that a new business model is necessary to sustaining our nation’s position as a leader in space access and exploration.

Government/Industry Partnering for Success

Industry and government (NASA and DoD) must partner to identify and develop new, more efficient ways of doing business. Both must be flexible and willing to work outside “the way we’ve always done it.” We must develop a smarter, more efficient acquisition strategy that includes partnering to share risk and evaluate the level of oversight needed, as well as finding the right balance of commercial and non-commercial space options.

Focused on Efficiency

With the government’s priority to decrease spending, both NASA and its industry partners must find opportunities to increase efficiency and make access to space more affordable. We recognize that there are factors beyond PWR’s control that contribute to an overall increase in costs across the space manufacturing industry, including a decrease in demand for products and services and an increase in oversight and requirements. Even so, PWR is working hard to reduce costs and increase affordability where possible, including a 15% reduction in headcount, a projected 60% reduction in facility space and a significant investment in our initiatives to improve efficiency