SSTL Approach

• Case Studies

As the world's premier provider of small satellites, SSTL has been sending small satellites into space longer, more successfully and more economically than anyone else in the world. Our track record of 34 satellites in 28 years is the best in the small satellite industry.

Our customers seek us out because of our experience and high rates of success. They also appreciate our emphasis on partnership and the innovative approach we bring to our work. We believe that this approach sets us apart from the increasingly competitive space industry.

The core principles by which SSTL operate are:

• A high rate of learning is applied to all that we do. Launching missions regularly (on average once a year) means a rapid accumulation of experience for SSTL staff and regular opportunities for frequent testing of new technologies. The complete SSTL approach is evaluated with every mission and feedback and learning is applied to all future missions.
  
• Every new mission is an evolution from a previous mission. Known as our ‘heritage baseline’ approach, every SSTL mission since 1984 has been derived from a preceding mission through a controlled process of change management. This enables us to provide a custom-designed solution based on proven designs which have demonstrated performance in space. 
  
• SSTL has a complete in-house capability. Our focused, highly expert team of almost 300 staff is able to prepare almost the entire satellite mission in-house (including design, build, assembly, test, launch and on-orbit operations). This means that we maintain control over every aspect of the mission and remove reliance on external contractors, thereby reducing mission costs and schedules.
  
• SSTL is creative in using proven technologies in orbit. We never reinvent the wheel. Our creativity is focused on finding new ways to use already proven consumer and industrial technologies successfully in space. We pioneered this concept in the space industry, which has driven down mission costs and schedules.
  
• SSTL's approach to risk management is pragmatic. We choose to accept and manage risks rather than attemping to reduce them to zero. Testing is an essential part of the satellite production process and also a key contributing factor to cost. We take a realistic approach that balances possible risks with testing time and cost. We focus on testing where it counts most – reducing key risks early in the project and validating performance at system level prior to launch. This is a pragmatic, but never careless, approach that has resulted in our very high mission success rate and lower costs for our customers.