Strategic Evolution of the Innovation Lab at the Aerospace Corporation

The traditional aerospace industry is undergoing tremendous shifts in focus, methodology, and speed of innovation, due in part to the “New Space” sector of well over 1,000 companies focused on creating alternative business models for accessing space. As a result, the Aerospace Corporation, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, is evolving its role as an advisor to the U.S. government by elevating its innovation culture. In this paper, we describe the programs we created to stimulate an innovative culture, how those programs and the organization have evolved to address customers\u0027 strategic needs, and examples of employee innovation that have resulted from those programs.