Originally published as Journal of Knowledge Management Volume 10 Number 2, 2006
ISBN: 1 84544 960 6
Guest edited by: Phillip Olla, Madonna University in Michigan, USA & Jeanne Holm, California Institute of Technology, USA.
Knowledge Management is the spark that will ignite an organization's ability to get the most from the investments it has made in workforce and information technology, and to harness the considerable intellectual capital within an aerospace company and its partners.
Implementations in KM within aerospace organizations have grown beyond mere technology thrusts and now include aspects of culture, people, and process. These more sophisticated KM tasks build on technology and information to help guide organizations through the intricacies of working with international teams and making ever-more-complex decisions. As a community, aerospace has many of the key ingredients to making KM succeed – a highly intelligent workforce, a need to learn in order to succeed, and solid, technical infrastructure.
Contents:
The role of knowledge management in the space industry: important or superfluous?
This article aims to describe the importance of knowledge management (KM) to the space industry. It draws from a range of literature published in the academic and industry arenas, also including articles published in this special issue. The authors also apply their personal experience and practical knowledge.
Managing innovative space missions: lessons from NASA
The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of past experience in managing risk and technical innovation in NASA space programs with lessons learned for new unmanned space missions. The paper examines past performance of space missions and abstracts the lessons learned for the efficient development of cost-effective space missions.
A knowledge management initiative in ESA/ESOC
The purpose of this paper is to describe the initiative set up at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) to investigate how knowledge management principles could offer solutions, while adapting to a world where technology and innovative processes are rapidly changing.
Creating architectural approaches to knowledge management: an example from the space industry
This article aims to provide an insight into the work carried out by a consortium of organizations that have an interest in space activities and to provide a focus on the knowledge architecture that is needed to ensure a viable short- and long-term plan for implementing a successful knowledge management program.
Facing knowledge evolution in space project: a multi-viewpoint approach
The aim of this paper is to provide a conceptual and methodological framework in order to prevent knowledge loss in a long duration space project. The paper carries a multi-discipline approach, putting together different domains: space activity, statistic specialist, knowledge managements, and linguistics.
The Rosetta video approach: an overview and lessons learned so far
Besides the technological challenge of flying a space probe for ten years before arriving at the final mission destination, one is confronted with a potential loss of knowledge during this period. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the general knowledge management applied for such a mission. It aims to give details for a new approach, the video approach, to capture expertise knowledge of engineers and scientists.
The Hungarian space research knowledge management project: a focus on the Rosetta Mission
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is supported by the Hungarian Ministry of Informatics and Communications (RMKI). RMKI started a research and development project in 2003 with the aim of studying the knowledge management methods for long duration space research projects and to develop an information system providing a base for saving and using the knowledge gathered.
Learning from the Mars Rover Mission: scientific discovery, learning and memory
Knowledge management for space exploration is part of a multi-generational effort. Each mission builds on knowledge from prior missions, and learning is the first step in knowledge production. This paper aims to use the Mars Exploration Rover mission as a site to explore this process.
Space project management lessons learned: a powerful tool for success
The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach for the management of “Space project management lessons learned” (SProMaLLs) as a powerful way to ensure better success both at project and at corporate levels.
About the Journal of Knowledge Management
The Journal of Knowledge Management is a peer-reviewed quarterly publication dedicated to the exchange of the latest research and practical information on all aspects of managing knowledge in organizations. The journal publishes original research and case studies by academic, business and government contributors on strategies, tools, techniques and technologies for Knowledge Management. The focus of this journal is on the identification of innovative Knowledge Management strategies and the application of theoretical concepts to real-world situations.
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