Shelli Brunswick

The School of International Futures (SOIF) led a research project for the ESA to better understand the future of the global space system and the implications of this for the European space sector. The project looked beyond the most obvious parts of this landscape. A global network of industry experts and futurist were invited to participate.

As a member of the network, our goal was to help SOIF test and explore a set of drivers of change that are/could be shaping the global space… Show more

The School of International Futures (SOIF) led a research project for the ESA to better understand the future of the global space system and the implications of this for the European space sector. The project looked beyond the most obvious parts of this landscape. A global network of industry experts and futurist were invited to participate.

As a member of the network, our goal was to help SOIF test and explore a set of drivers of change that are/could be shaping the global space system, provide an understanding of the developments pushing change forward up to horizon 2050, and assist in identifying the implications for the European space sector.

As network members, I contributed at three levels during the project:

1. Engaged with the Futurescaper platform (tool that facilitates strategic conversations/leverages the network analysis) to review content and provide comments.

2. Participated in online workshops over the course of the project. These workshops were designed to explore the drivers that emerged as influential and understand the implications and interdependencies shaping the future environment for the space sector.

3. Participated in an interviewed about new drivers, uncertainties, as well as insights on actors and systemic characteristics shaping the global space system. Show less

In its 2021, an report evaluating NASA’s strategy, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, a federal advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, published the following finding: NASA should develop a strategic vision for the future of space exploration and operations that encompasses at least the next 20 years, including potential alternative scenarios.

The purpose of this six-month study was to support NASA’s response to this finding and to inform its future strategic planning… Show more

In its 2021, an report evaluating NASA’s strategy, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, a federal advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, published the following finding: NASA should develop a strategic vision for the future of space exploration and operations that encompasses at least the next 20 years, including potential alternative scenarios.

The purpose of this six-month study was to support NASA’s response to this finding and to inform its future strategic planning efforts by (1) developing future scenarios focused on potential future states in
2040 and beyond, (2) investigating candidate strategic options that may be most resilient to these diverse scenarios, and (3) extracting from the scenarios the key questions that NASA leadership may consider when developing resilient strategic plans today. Foresighting was chosen as the preferred method for this study. Foresighting enables informed decision-making in an environment of uncertainty by helping leaders to envision possible futures and react to them today. This study did not attempt to develop technological roadmaps or to provide a current state and future direction of a scientific discipline, mature processes already exist for these purposes at NASA (e.g., decadal surveys). In addition, the composition of an explicit response to the ASAP finding is out of scope for this study and shall be undertaken by NASA separately.

The foresighting process was executed in a collaborative environment, bringing together NASA-internal
and external stakeholders in roundtables and interviews facilitated by Aerospace foresight experts. The
Aerospace foresighting team worked with approximately 200 NASA staff and external participants.

Roundtables with participants external to NASA included educators, graduate students, science fiction
authors, space lawyers, social justice advocates, engineers from start-ups and Fortune 500 companies,
space enthusiasts, and more. Show less

Karman Project selects 15 Space Leaders from around the world (the Karman Fellows), with the mission to promote trust and cooperation between the ones who shape the future of the space industry. The 15 Karman Fellows are invited to meet with global leaders, strengthen their relationships with one another and engage in strategic discussions regarding the future of space. The Karman Fellows also receive support to advance space-related commitments and impact for the betterment of humanity… Show more

Karman Project selects 15 Space Leaders from around the world (the Karman Fellows), with the mission to promote trust and cooperation between the ones who shape the future of the space industry. The 15 Karman Fellows are invited to meet with global leaders, strengthen their relationships with one another and engage in strategic discussions regarding the future of space. The Karman Fellows also receive support to advance space-related commitments and impact for the betterment of humanity.

Among the former selection board members are Jean-Jacques Dordain (Former ESA Director-General), William Gerstenmaier (VP Mission Assurance at SpaceX, former Associate Administrator of NASA), Juan de Dalmau (Former ISU President), Clay Mowry (IAF President), Philippe Baptiste (CEO of CNES) etc. See former selection board members at: https://www.karmanproject.org/members/#community-board Show less