The post Who’s Hiring Guide — No. 5 appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

The post 2022-2023 Annual Aerospace Resource Guide appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

—Albert Einstein

There are many places where this story could start: 

When I was four and my dad would stop at Boeing Field to watch the planes take off after visiting our grandparents in Georgetown; 

Or in grade school, watching the first 707 take flight from Renton field and fly past our home; 

Or searching the night sky for the Milky Way and all the signs of the zodiac while dreaming of becoming a scientist like Albert Einstein; 

Or perhaps when I was in high school learning home economics, known today as “domestic engineering.” 

All these experiences played a part in our aerospace journey. A long time has passed since high school and a lot has happened since then. 

Born in Montana in a farming family, my husband Larry found his true self in shop class in high school. He went to work in a machine shop right after graduation learning machining skills. With over 50 years in the trade, Larry has earned the title of master machinist. 

Starting out in our garage, Larry taught me how to machine parts; my first were overhead stow bin latches. I still remember the finish was brown and textured like sand. Four hundred parts were all machined on a manual mill, with eight hundred holes drilled and tapped, each requiring a separate set up. That is when I began thinking “How could we drill and tap in one operation to save time?” 

We continued to grow our business and it was not long before Hobart was a direct supplier to The Boeing Company, supporting many programs in defense, space, and new commercial aircraft development. 

The engineers at Boeing were confident in our work and urged us to support the Aris (active rack isolation system) for the MIR space station, Airborne Laser, V-22 Osprey rotor test fixtures, and satellite cradles. 

Through expansion we started supporting the Sea Launch program, making edge margin closures, venting doors for the rockets, actuator housings for opening the payload bay doors to release the satellites, plus many other components and assemblies. 

During this time, NASA asked me to serve on an all-volunteer space supplier council overseen by the Aerospace Space Corporation. Meetings took place at SCIF’s — top security clearance facilities; I served for 14 years. 

Through our associations we were fortunate to have engaged with many Boeing Company CEO’s — sitting next to Stan Deal talking about workforce issues at a supplier diversity conference; engaging in conversation with Alan Mullaly, Phil Condit, Scott Carson, and Ray Conner about our industry and supply chain while advocating for our industry on the global stage. 

Expanding into other technologies, we started exporting, which was not part of our business plan. Our customer was the driving force and guided us through the steps, with help from the Bureau of Industry and Security and our local U.S. Commercial Service office. This led to an appointed position on our local District Export Council, serving as a volunteer for over twenty years. 

As we grew, education and training gained increasing importance to us, with development of an internship program starting with high school students at age 15. 

It has been nine years now since our first intern came to us, she is employed at Blue Origin as a systems engineer and we could not be prouder of her and her accomplishments. It has been an honor to have shared our knowledge with all of our interns on their career paths. 

Giving back and supporting our local community is something we love to do — starting with serving on multiple education advisory boards; Board of Directors, Central Washington University MET program; Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center; National Science Foundation projects at Edmonds College; and Hofstra University Needed Math for Manufacturing Technicians, developing a curriculum in STEM for transitioning sewing and cooking into aerospace manufacturing careers. We also serve on the Washington State Aerospace Pipeline Committee, the Association of Washington Business Manufacturing Task Force, Aerospace Futures Alliance, and more. 

Our commitments to these organizations and others have led to a world of travel, taking us places we had never imagined and meeting individuals you only read about. 

Larry and I are grateful to everyone who has encouraged and supported us. We deeply appreciate the recognition for our accomplishments with awards in manufacturing, education, technology, leadership, exporting and advocacy. 

Who would have thought all those years ago that two students in home economics and shop class would find their way into this dynamic and ever-growing aerospace, space and technology driven industry? We sure did not and we feel blessed to have people in our lives who pushed us out of our comfort zone and saw the leaders in us. 

The future is bright for our industry and those who will follow in our footsteps. 

Northwest Readers — SHARE A STORY 

Have a story to share with our readers? 

Get in touch with us: 

Dean@northwestaerospacenews.com

The post WOMAN-OWNED, SMALL BUSINESS, PRECISION MANUFACTURING  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

From its humble beginning in 2001 of around 45 attendees, the PNAA ADVANCE Conference has grown exponentially year after year, expanding our reach globally to welcome delegations from multiple countries. 

According to Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory, it has become arguably the biggest and most important regional aerospace conference in the industry. PNAA has been honored to have Richard speak at every conference since 2001. That tradition will continue in 2023. 

ADVANCE 2023 will be held February 6-9th at the Lynnwood Convention Center just north of Seattle, Washington. The theme of the conference this year is Innovate. Collaborate. Accelerate. In their singular form all these words are powerful, but for businesses in the aerospace industry, when these words are combined with one another, you can have the perfect ingredients for success. 

The goal of the conference in 2023 is to come together in the beginning of the year to hear topics from leading analysts, OEMs, Tier 1 companies and more, about ways that we can innovate and collaborate to accelerate our success as an industry. Connection to others in the industry is critical as we navigate the “new normal” of the manufacturing environment and the conference is the perfect opportunity to connect. 

We will kick off the ADVANCE Conference on February 6th, with industry tours and an international reception where we will welcome attendees from all over the world. From there we will have an action-packed week with multiple presentations that will help you access the information needed to create your strategy for 2023 and into the future. 

Almost forty percent of our attendees say that networking is the main reason to attend our event; there will be ample opportunities given for networking throughout the day as well as at our evening receptions. 

“The PNAA Annual Conference is a must-attend event. It’s the best conference because we get the latest on industry trends, network with suppliers, meet new customers, and attend technical conferences to help us better focus our efforts,” said Jim Lee, general manager of Tool Gauge. “The conference is very well managed, and we always enjoy the experience of attending. The Tool Gauge team highly recommends the PNAA Annual Conference to anyone seeking to improve their business.” 

ADVANCE 2023 is a place for companies of all sizes to come together in their shared interest of moving the industry forward. It’s an opportunity to learn about all things aerospace — including commercial and defense aviation, space, UAM and new, expanding technologies in sustainable aviation and manufacturing.

We have multiple ways for companies to interact with each other throughout the week, including B2B meetings with numerous OEMs and Tier 1 companies. Some of the other ways to connect include the exhibit hall where you can connect with innovative products and suppliers, the international reception connecting companies from all around the globe, and the Awards and Sponsorship Banquet with a silent and live auction to raise funds for our Aerospace Scholarship Program. 

During our awards banquet we will feature four industry awards: PNAA Board Chair Award, Inspire Award, Company of the Year, and Executive of the Year. This is our way of honoring the great work being done throughout the year in the Pacific Northwest region. 

There will even be an opportunity to begin networking, using our new conference app that’s included in your registration, so you’ll get maximum exposure to other attendees.

We are a local aerospace trade association committed to the prosperity of this region, so the support from PNAA doesn’t end with the ADVANCE Conference. It continues throughout the year to expand the connections and opportunities that are created from the conference. Our goal is to create a cohesive community that helps support the growth and global competitiveness of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Cluster. 

If you want to expand your network, deepen your relationships, and create a strategy that will lead your business to continued success, then ADVANCE 2023 is the place to be! We look forward to welcoming you and your team in 2023. 

If you’d like more information about attending, exhibiting or sponsoring at PNAA ADVANCE 2023, please reach out to Fa’atui (Tui) Laolagi at tlaolagi@ pnaa.net 

The post ADVANCE 2023:  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

Washington State has been in the aircraft manufacturing business for more than a century. It wouldn’t have been possible without the thousands of men and women that have designed, developed, built and flown the airplanes that are used for transporting passengers and goods. 

The state’s Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce have been tasked with the role of leading an effort to ensure that aviation and aerospace remain priorities for Washington. While these two sectors deal with related activities, they are a bit different. 

Aerospace, as the word indicates, is a combination of aeronautics and spaceflight. It deals with the research, design, manufacturing and maintenance of both aircraft and spacecraft, and is typically defined as flight within and outside Earth’s atmosphere. Other services within the aerospace industry include aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, as well as satellite services within the space sector. In addition to commercial aircraft, this industry includes military aircraft, space, missiles and aviation. 

Aviation generally deals with the design, manufacture, operation and repair of aircraft used to fly within Earth’s atmosphere, and is typically described as airports, airlines, the aircraft industry, and aviation institutions. 

Washington is fortunate to have a number of elected representatives and senators that are engaged in working to support, in a collaborative way, our state departments that have a focus on the aviation/aerospace industry. 

Established in the 2021 Legislative Session, the Aviation and Aerospace Advisory Committee (known as the AAAC) was tasked to develop concepts to support and grow these areas of the Washington State economy. Specifics of this committee include the development of recommendations for:

Employment of emerging technologies to include uncrewed, autonomous and alternative propulsion systems; 

New, modified or proposed federal regulations; 

National and international competitiveness; 

State policy considerations; 

Funding priorities and capital project needs; 

Methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and 

Workforce development needs and opportunities 

The committee is led by WSDOT Director Roger Millar and Commerce Director Lisa Brown. Six subcommittees were set up to review opportunities and barriers to the continued growth of aviation and aerospace. More than sixty members support the subcommittees, and they have been working since March to develop a portfolio of recommendations for both departments. 

The subcommittees have engaged in research and a SWOT analysis of the sectors. They are currently developing a slate of initial policies that could accelerate the design and development of new aircraft, like uncrewed and emerging segments, and also support our legacy programs. The workforce of the future will need additional training on new equipment and technologies that will significantly change the way that these aircraft and spacecraft are designed and manufactured. Our classrooms and educational facilities will need staff, funding and research to create and drive innovation, enabling Washington to compete with other locations for aerospace and aviation investments. 

It’s not just business as usual. Our state, our companies, and our legislative and policy partners are working together to ensure that the future of flight research, design, development and manufacturing remains an important part of our economy. 

The post Aviation and Aerospace Advisory Committee working to ensure aerospace competitiveness in Washington State  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

This year’s “must attend” AFA Aerospace Summit was held on November 8th, at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. The event is typically a full day packed with relevant insights from the leaders of our industry and this one was no exception. 

While it is difficult to attend the avalanche of in-person meetings that have backed up, as we were patiently waiting for the pandemic to be in the rear-view mirror, I would not for anything have missed this information-packed gathering! 

Aerospace Futures Alliance President Emily Whitman opened the event with a quick overview of the events and timelines that were to take place. It needs to be said that while AFA invited many Industry influencers to speak and share industry details, AFA itself is an industry leader and legislative aerospace advocate, speaking on behalf of the many companies that count on their “allyship” to help create the positive work environment we share in Washington State. 

The event began with keynote speaker Bruce Harrell, mayor of Seattle. His message was to elaborate on how important it is to be in unity and to be “One Seattle.” Seattle is a thriving hotbed of innovation and technology with a bright future and is a leader in the world of aerospace. 

Next on the packed agenda was Wendy Sowers, the director of market forecasting for Boeing. Ms. Sowers went into detail outlining the current industry status, considering the pandemic and current world politics in relation to commercial aircraft orders. It is still a volatile market, yet Boeing has great reason to be optimistic in providing the right aircraft for the market needs as we climb out of the past three years. 

Washington State has unique member-based organizations that have long worked together to amplify each other’s strengths. This was confirmed in the Expert Panel: Innovation Clusters.

Lily Eriksen, the industry sector integration manager for the Washington State Department of Commerce, introduced the next panel. Ms. Eriksen comments: 

“I was excited Tuesday to introduce an Innovation Cluster panel focusing on aerospace in Washington State at the Aerospace Futures Alliance – AFA Summit. The most exciting part was listening to Dale King with the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance Cluster (PNAC), Misha Lujan with the Sustainable Aerospace Technologies and Energies (SATE) Cluster and Michael Doyle with Space Northwest.” Her favorite quotes were: “If you’re not collaborating, you’re not getting innovation.’’ 

“Collaboration is a team sport and we need that next level of collaboration, that’s why we have a cluster.” 

”We need ideas that are the result of trusted conversations.” 

“We need to ignite the future inspiration and ask ourselves what the future will look like and where are we going?” 

The lively discussion was a confirmation of the power of our Pacific Northwest Aerospace Industry network of companies and their desire to support each other in a non-typical method of comradery. It sets us apart from many regions, as our bonds create manufacturing strength. 

There were several more panels and speakers, including Blue Origin conversations on equity and inclusion; conversations on investor insight and venture capital; current workforce programs and strategies and opportunities; as well as a significant amount of time to network with fellow industry partners. 

The evening was capped off with a reception at the beautiful Museum of Flight and more time to network and share connections with friends. 

Thank you to the team at AFA for their hard work all year long and especially the work put into this worthwhile event!

The post  AFA 17th Annual Aerospace Summit  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

Aleksey Voytukhov (Aleks) is the general manager at Northway Products in Mukilteo, Washington. Voytukhov is originally from Ukraine but has been a U.S. citizen since the mid-1990s. He worked his way up from floor manager to site manager for a prior company, before coming to Northway Products four years ago. Voytukhov remembers being raised in Ukraine. He said that when he was growing up, children were taught hands-on skills such as carpentry or car repair, as early as eight years old. 

The owners of Northway Products, also from Ukraine and Russia, have been in the U.S. as citizens for most of their careers. The company’s employees have a work ethic and a commitment to solid company culture. They are proud of their quality, competitiveness, and camaraderie. 

Machinist Phil Timm has been with the company for three years. He has been working as a machinist and welder for 50 years, and he loves the environment of Northway. He said, “The quality of the stuff that we are proud to put out to our customers — the variety of work (we) get to do — is not mundane.” He said he was proud of the team, saying, “We all have each other’s best interest.” 

Sales Manager, Yan Lopatin, is a mechanical engineer by trade and speaks English, Russian, some Spanish, and Ukrainian. He has been with the company for close to three years. He has worked for Seattle Metals and Modern Metals. He is also proud of the employees. He said the owners hold several companies and, interestingly, one of the businesses started as a residential siding company. As they grew the business, they began welding rails in the garage. 

They were then hired for metal production. As the company expanded and family members became involved, they acquired Northway Products of Mukilteo, an already existing company. Then seven years ago, the original owner of Northway sold the business to the current owners. 

Voytukhov said that the owners understand hard work and the American work ethic. He said people of Slavic descent are hard-working people. When they were growing up during the communist era, “You couldn’t own things; they would split the wealth between the common folks. If you had too many chickens, the communists would take them away.” But Lopatin added that all employees have been hard-working. 

He cited that in the U.S., employees of companies and entrepreneurs have the option to work hard and find success. “In the Slavic communities, you have many construction people who can find solutions to problems,” Voytukhov said. He said it is because of their early training that “they are handy.” So, although it was rare for him in Ukraine to witness entrepreneurs building a business or company, he recognizes hard work. 

Lopatin said that Northway was almost exclusively focused on aerospace before the pandemic. During and after the pandemic, he said they needed to diversify, a sentiment echoed by many in the aerospace industry over the past two years. 

Northway offers services for the medical industry. They produce parts for the optometry industry, specifically for Ocular Instruments, the manufacturer of diagnostic, laser, and surgical lenses for ophthalmologists and optometrists. Lisa Graham, purchasing agent for Ocular, is a Northway customer, buying machined anodized handles, lockrings, cones, sleeves, etc., for use in ocular devices. She appreciates Northway because, “As a medical device manufacturer where the end user is a doctor, we require high-quality parts. Northway understands this and provides excellent, quality products for us. If there is a problem, they work well with us to provide a solution.” She is also impressed with their ability to meet delivery requirements, adding, “Depending on these devices’ sales trends; it is tough to forecast. Northway will work with us to rearrange delivery schedules to meet our manufacturing needs.”

Cadence Aerospace of Anaheim, California, a Boeing Tier 1 supplier, is a valued Northway aerospace industry customer. Cadence Buyer, Daniel Klinicke, works in the Arden division of the company. He purchases parts from Northway, such as bolts, brackets, and clevises, for Boeing commercial aircraft 767, 777, and 787s. He always gives them a good reference because, “They are easy to work with, set up (the project), and are very responsive.” He works primarily with Lopatin, whom he said is an asset because, “Working with Yan as an engineer, he helps me understand his challenges and I can work with my engineers to relay any issues that arise.” While Klinicke hasn’t been to Mukilteo to meet with the Northway team, he said he values their expediency and flexibility. 

Lopatin notes that Northway is flexible and offers a solid quality assurance program, saying, “We take pride in the quality of the parts.” The company places high value on the caliber of their products and prompt lead time, which both Ocular and Cadence reflected favorably upon. 

Northway is a build-to-spec company, from hand drawings to electronic and 3D models. Some of the military parts deal with sensitive information and their long-term employees are thorough when reviewing designs, calling out any errors or concerns. 

They have four mills and can machine parts from every angle. 

They have 11 turning machines and seven screw machines. They jokingly call the screw machines “dinosaurs” because they are older, but “They run flawlessly and fast,” said Voytukhov. He added they can offer “Milling, turning — and take care of the complete product — heat treating, inspections, and go through subassembly.” 

Their staff is small, with only 15 people in manufacturing and five office staff, but they work to celebrate employee successes and milestones routinely. Lopatin indicated that they have expansion goals, although staffing growth slowed considerably during the pandemic before ramping up again. Lopatin shared that they are building the business through marketing efforts like trade shows and involvement in regional trade groups. 

Company Principles 

People In Our Purpose Humility That Puts Others First 

Our company sees the people behind every contract and every order and seeks to enrich the lives of the people we work with. We value humility and put other people first in all we do. If you’re in it to serve, you’ll feel at home at Northway Products. 

Excellence in Our Products Hard Work That is Results Driven 

We understand that a reputation is built over time and can be ruined overnight. We want satisfied customers to reinforce the importance of quality and timeliness with Northway Products. We commit to exceeding people’s expectations with hard work and continual improvement. At Northway Products, excellence is not simply a profit tool. It is a way of life. 

Integrity in Our Practice Honesty That Gains People’s Trust 

We work with a focus on long-term, sustainable results that seek to cultivate trustworthy and lasting relationships with all the people we work with. Honesty, transparency, and authenticity are principles that we hold to and operate under.

Lopatin also said that they obtain new customers through referral relationships. In situations where a customer moves to another company, many continue to work with Northway in the new company. The owners of Northway and the employees said that it was decided early on, that the company wouldn’t just be in it to make a profit. They wanted to “bless people’s lives,” said Lopatin. They endeavor to hire people who may not otherwise be likely to work in a growing aerospace company. “Maybe they weren’t the best people or had different backgrounds,” he said. He feels that the company helps them to develop and become better, more pleasant to talk to, and more enjoyable. 

“As we do these products,” he said, “We want to better the people around us — to bless the lives of the people around us.” 

In fact, during the interview process, they conduct a “pre-hiring interview” where, “We talk to people first, get their stories.” Next, they present their principles to sense if the candidate likes their approach. “I was interviewing someone who assumed we wouldn’t hire him because he had been fired. Not every business will hire certain people, but we will develop work ethic and character.” 

Voytukhov said, “We have a weekly meeting to discuss our principles and values. As we bring changes in slowly, initially people who push back, they became more friendly and part of the team. 

Machine shops are not pleasant places to work in, so when people come in, we smile, and they smile; that’s our approach.” 

The weekly meetings, the values discussions, the potlucks, and shared meals all seem to add up to a small, yet growing company focused on quality, competitiveness, and camaraderie within the Northwest’s excellent aerospace industry. 

Contact Information Northway Products 

11027 47th Ave West 

Mukilteo, WA 98275 

Sales Contact: 

425.493.1127 

Yan.Lopatin@northwayproducts.com 

Main Contact: 

800.404.2946 

Email@northwayproducts.com 

The post EXTREME WORK ETHIC  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

Don’t ask Megan Dolan to decide. 

“A lot of people said I wouldn’t be able to do both, but I was able to make it work,” Dolan said. 

When Dolan wasn’t working on a flight test program, she was cheering for the Seattle Seahawks as a National Football League cheerleader. 

“It’s so awesome stepping out onto Lumen Field on Seahawks game day in front of 70,000 fans. You feel the energy vibrating in your entire body,” Dolan said. “It’s so exciting, energetic, and loud. The fans are awesome. Rain or shine, they are there. To get to dance and do what I love on that field for those fans was really special.” 

Dolan is a master at navigating the seemingly different worlds of cheerleading and engineering. In her role on the ecoDemonstrator program, she worked as a technical integrator to take technologies out of the lab and test them in the air to solve real-world challenges for airlines, passengers, and the environment. 

“It’s a lot of time management,” Dolan said. “I’ve learned how much I really do love both. I knew I didn’t want to give up dance, and I knew I didn’t want to give up aerospace. I think if you are passionate about both, you’ll figure out a way to make it work.” 

Dolan started tap-dancing at age two at her local community center. She loved it immediately and gained an appreciation for the music and rhythm. She then started doing jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and hip-hop. 

“When I got to college, I started doing pom,” she said. “I always knew I wanted to keep doing it, but I was nervous because there are only so many hours in a day.” 

Dolan attended the University of Washington (UW) knowing she wanted to be an engineer, but also wanting to pursue her other passion — dancing. 

“I’ve always been interested in engineering, specifically aerospace” Dolan said. “My dad flew F/A-18s in the U.S. Navy, and my grandfather flew B-17s in World War II. And multiple other family members flew, like my mom! Flight’s always been something I was interested in, but they never pushed me, which I’m thankful for. They let me figure out for myself how cool it is.” 

Dolan was able to keep dancing while managing her course load in college. “People told me I wasn’t going to be able to complete my aeronautical and astronautical engineering degree while dancing on the UW Dance Team for four years, being captain and going to Nationals — and sometimes I almost believed them. But I’m glad I didn’t,” she said. 

Dolan landed an internship at Boeing in 2019. 

“I had an awesome experience interning in Avionics Integration in Everett, Washington. I assisted full-time engineers with their tasks and completed an intern project with a leadership report out. I was able to attend tours throughout the summer including the Everett Factory, Customer Experience Center, and flight simulators,” said Dolan. 

“I was encouraged to set up informational interviews to learn about the amazing work being done at the company. One of the engineers in my group even took a group of us flying around the San Juan Islands!” 

Her experience during her internship led her to pursue a job at Boeing. 

“After learning about all the work being done at Boeing, I could see myself there. 

My coworkers also made my experience great, and I knew I wanted to work at a company that attracted such talented people,” Dolan said. 

After balancing both cheering and engineering on a professional level, Dolan made the move from Boeing’s Commercial Business to Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS). 

“I’m excited. It’s definitely bittersweet because I loved my previous job. I feel like I’ve learned so much being in this integration role and working with cross-functional teams. But I’m just as excited to transition to BDS and work on spacecraft. I’m also looking to find a way to continue dancing as I move to a new Boeing site. 

“I love airplanes, but I also love space,” Dolan said. “So I’m really excited to see something totally new and work on a completely different team, on the defense and space side. I’m from a military family, so I’m excited to support that.” 

Dolan has become an expert at balancing her passions, and she encourages others to follow their dreams. 

“You can learn from every person and every experience. All the soft skills and problem-solving skills that I learned outside of school translated so well to now working in the aerospace industry, post-college,” Dolan said. 

“Interning at Boeing was an incredible experience that got me where I am today. Internship requisitions can be found on the Boeing website, and I also encourage you to seek out career fairs or informational events to attend at your school or in your area. If you can attend, be sure to ask questions and share your experience and why you are excited about aerospace,” said Dolan. 

Her advice to fellow dreamers and doers: “Take advantage of every experience you have. Learn as much as you can from everything. When you are studying tough material, or you’re trying to solve this difficult homework problem and you’re discouraged, always remember you’re capable. 

“If you really want to succeed in this field, keep working hard, seek out mentors, and bring your passion to everything you do.” 

The post <strong>Double Duty: </strong> appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.

It is estimated now that 5,000 satellites are orbiting the earth. By some estimates, that number could increase to over 100,000 by 2030. The satellites are complex machines that provide the world with commercial services, in many cases, such as communications, aerial photography, weather, climate monitoring, internet, and data collection. They are owned publicly and privately and can cost millions to produce and launch. They typically have an expiration date on their effectiveness and operability. 

Starfish Space, a Seattle, Washington startup, leverages ocean-related naming in its systems and intellectual property. The company was founded in 2019 by former Blue Origin engineers Trevor Bennett and Austin Link. 

Both are educated in engineering and aerospace and are fond of sea creatures and their names. 

The company’s first satellite, Otter Pup, was announced in November 2022 and is slated to launch in mid-2023. From a fundamental standpoint, Otter Pup will launch into space on a rocket and be deployed by another satellite. 

Once released by this satellite, Otter Pup will drift several kilometers away, and then use its onboard electric propulsion system to turn around and rendezvous with the same satellite that deployed it. Otter Pup will utilize a unique capture mechanism powered by electrostatic adhesion to dock with the satellite for initial proof of concept and then undock from the satellite to run further tests. 

Once Otter Pup helps prove out Starfish’s core technologies, the company will begin deploying full-scale Otter servicing vehicles to serve various customers in space. As the business grows and commercial contracts are secured to service multi-million-dollar satellites and dispose of dead satellites or other space debris, the company will continue to scale up the number of Otters in space. Otter mammals in a group are called a bevy, family, lodge, or romp, so pay attention to the fleet of Otters by Starfish Space as it grows. 

It is a unique business model because it is a servicing business solving a problem for satellite owners in space. But conversely, like most successful businesses, it is a business model that promulgates success through the replication of service. 

Starfish Space acquired funding in September 2021 with an infusion of $7M. According to an article by Alan Boyle for GeekWire, “The seed funding round was co-led by NFX and MaC Venture Capital, with participation from PSL Ventures, Boost VC, Liquid2 Ventures and Hypothesis.” 

Jonathan Kneller, project execution for Starfish Space, stated that the funding allowed them to “go on a hiring spree,” which he said is critical to their success. 

The employee roster looks like the best and brightest lineup in the industry. Strategy and Operations Lead Ari Juster oversees business development and most recently worked for the NFL. Of the company’s rapid pace of hiring, Juster said that he “almost feels like a veteran at this point,” although he joined just a year ago. 

Starfish’s 25 current employees have flight algorithms; space robotics; human factors and space policy; and mechanical, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering credentials. Thank heavens for the business and operations folks in the bunch, who can write about what they do and make deals. 

Juster said, “Starfish is an incredible team of genuine humans; one of our primary visions is to build a company where everyone can live and work with joy.” He said he came to the company because he wanted a job where he could have a tangibly positive impact on the world. He added, “Starfish is a chance to work on breakthrough technology that can fundamentally change how humans can go into space. We must build our capabilities as a species to continue to expand our presence in space, and we hope the technology we are developing can be a key part of that.” 

Kneller is excited to be a part of the company because, “It’s a cool and collaborative industry.” 

With the infusion of capital, hiring credible employees, and developing crucial technology, they feel the company is making great progress toward its mission. 

The future and customers for Starfish Space 

There is already a need for the Otter to execute its mission to service satellites and retire dead satellites. Satellites are being launched rapidly by commercial companies and governmental entities, and increasingly crowded orbits pose a risk to all involved. 

According to Kneller, a servicing vehicle like the Otter, with its core technologies, could be a breakthrough. Like most businesses, he said there is likely to be increasing value in the ability to service a satellite upon a customer’s request in a rapid or “on-demand” fashion. He said that initially, “The primary missions are life extension and debris removal … in the future, we could use our technology for missions like satellite repair and assembly.” He added, “The goal would be to have dozens of Otters in orbit,” which would service satellites as needed. Otter’s small size and rapid availability will maximize its commercial viability. 

Of the debris removal mission, he noted that the satellites in a constellation, when broken or malfunctioning, need to be removed from the constellation so that they don’t damage other satellites. The Otter would be able to conduct this task to pull it out of orbit to “burn up” in the atmosphere. 

Customers may operate satellites focused on a wide variety of use cases, and there are likely to be “tons of commercial and government customers [in low-Earth orbit],” Kneller said. 

Launching and functionality of the Otter 

SpaceX has the market cornered on satellite launches today. But other players are emerging, such as Rocket Lab and the upcoming Ariane 6 rocket. As many satellite companies are coming to market, there will likely be an increasing need for launch capacity. Starfish is not a launch company and plans to rely on partners for Otters’ rides to orbit. 

The focus instead will be on making their satellite servicing technology functional and safe. For example, they need to be able to dock with a moving target safely. Kneller said that satellites in low-Earth orbit are traveling at 7,000 meters per second, and “To maneuver near a satellite that costs millions to build, it requires reliable autonomous software to dock.” 

The technology is developing, including the capture mechanism and guidance, navigation, and control software. Starfish Space is comprised of former Blue Origin and NASA engineers working together to solve these specific problems within the evolving space ecosystem. Kneller noted that “So many startups came from Blue Origin and SpaceX engineering — for a space startup, it is important to have technical founders — many space companies are perceived to be a bit crazy. It helps to have Austin and Trevor leading the way at Starfish.” Kneller said they are good people to work for. 

In summary 

Starfish Space is memorable because of the clever naming of the products. But the company is much more than an Earth-based business with an ocean theme. They are explorers looking toward a future in space that is still to be defined. Like ocean exploration and our understanding of Earth’s sea creatures, Starfish Space is boldly going into a new final frontier. 

Contact Information 

Starfish Space 

16300 Christensen Rd. Suite #300 Tukwila, Washington 98188 

www.starfishspace.com hello@starfishspace.com 

The post Sea Creatures and Space Satellites — Starfish Space of Seattle  appeared first on Northwest Aerospace News.