Accelerating Innovation in the Space Economy with a Clean Core Approach

The rapid pace of innovation in the space industry is both fascinating and unprecedented. Private-venture companies and startups are coming together to develop a wide array of innovations at an astonishing speed. This trend, fueled by substantial investments, is transforming the landscape of space exploration and commercialization. A consultant from Cognitus, an SAP partner, shared his observations on the show floor with a colleague, highlighting the remarkable shift in how new projects are launched.

For decades, launching new initiatives in the space industry required years of careful optimization, precision, and strict adherence to government regulations, as noted by Berthold Breitling, vice president of sales for the aerospace and defense industry at Cognitus. However, with the growing commercialization of space and an increasing focus on downstream services, flexibility and agility have become essential. This new approach allows for quicker delivery and continuous refinement of products, services, and tools as new opportunities for improvement arise.

The rapid growth potential of the space industry is clear, and to keep pace, a new mindset is needed—one that embraces the evolving nature of space innovation. The space economy’s progress relies on several key elements, including advanced technology, robust security, seamless integrations, and the ability to customize and extend solutions. These transformations are supported by a digital backbone that remains simple yet open to integration with the latest technologies.

The foundation of the space economy can be divided into three main sectors: launch activities that transport technologies, space hardware such as satellites and propulsion systems, and software that manages and operates these hardware components. However, the most exciting opportunities lie in emerging areas of the space economy, including in-space research and development, manufacturing, infrastructure, exploration, and downstream services like communication, ground terminal security, and storage.

Satellite constellations are playing a crucial role in enhancing remote sensing and IoT capabilities across industries like agriculture, oil and gas, mining, and logistics. Innovations in connectivity are also revolutionizing internet access, further demonstrating the multifaceted nature of the space economy. As startups compete fiercely for public and private investment, the demand for cutting-edge services that can scale rapidly continues to grow. These services require comprehensive IT operations management to ensure compliance with regulations and fulfillment of funding requirements.

This is where the clean core approach in a private cloud environment becomes essential. A clean core refers to a technology system’s core that is free from extensive rework and contains data unaffected by integrations and upgrades. This approach simplifies the adoption of new releases, reduces modifications, and enables cloud-compliant extensions and customizations. By focusing on best practices and differentiating business processes, companies can leverage the clean core to enhance their innovation efforts.

Cognitus has recognized the importance of a clean core for the future of the space economy. To support industry players, the company developed the Cognitus Government Contracting Compliance Solution, which helps organizations maintain government compliance, resolve data redundancies, simplify complex landscapes, and streamline operational tasks. This solution provides a digital foundation that enables the implementation and integration of the latest technologies, driving data-centricity, process excellence, and smooth connectivity.

Companies that adopt the clean core approach can elevate their innovation initiatives with several key advantages. These include regular upgrades and development tools that make updates easier, greater system adaptability to meet changing business requirements, and faster adoption of the latest innovations with minimal impact on underlying data and processes. Additionally, the approach optimizes business processes, enhances efficiency, and allows for the seamless integration of systems and extensions without affecting core data.

Organizations that use the clean core approach find that system upgrades become simpler, less time-consuming, and less disruptive to legacy systems and operations. This allows them to focus more resources on deploying innovation rather than managing complex extensions and integrations. Most importantly, they can develop and implement innovation faster, either independently or with a partner.

The potential of the space economy is vast and expanding rapidly, driven by significant investments and a proliferation of services and technologies. To secure their futures, many companies in this sector are adopting the clean core approach as part of their digital strategy. This approach enables them to build and maintain a comprehensive yet flexible digital backbone that can evolve as they innovate, ensuring compliance and thriving in an industry poised for exponential growth.

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