‘All Systems Go’
The I-90 Aerospace Corridor Conference & Expo continues through Thursday at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.
BILL BULEY/Press
Moderator Kelly Maloney, left, Kelly Hennig and Ben Martin share the stage at the the I-90 Aerospace Corridor Conference & Expo at The Coeur d'Alene Resort on Tuesday.
COEUR d’ALENE - Find a way.
That’s how Tod Byquist, vice president of program management and supply chain with LeoStella, described the Seattle-based company’s philosophy.
When something needs to get done, a product or a service, LeoStella finds someone who will work with them to meet a goal — not someone who is going to tell them why it won’t work.
“We just look for partners who have the same sort of ‘find a way,’” Byquist said Tuesday during a presentation at the I-90 Aerospace Corridor Conference & Expo at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.
He was joined on a panel by Kelly Hennig, chief operating officer of Stoke Space, and Ben Martin, logistics and inventory manager with Spaceflight, to discuss space supply chain opportunities for manufacturers before a crowd of about 100 of the country's best and brightest.
LeoStella was founded on a vision to reinvent satellite constellation development and manufacturing. Its focus is to deliver small satellites cost-effectively.
Martin said Spaceflight is a launch services provider, “essentially Uber for satellites.”
"You have to serve everything in orbit that you do down here," he said.
Stoke Space started "with the end-game in mind, beginning with 100% fully and rapidly reusable rockets."
"We are building a rocket that is meant to be used daily,” Henning said.
All three panelists spoke of the critical importance of quality, flexibility and speed to be successful in their field.
A can-do attitude allows them to address challenges in the aerospace space, which moves at light speed.
That might mean working with companies both large and small that can respond quickly to any need.
"We are fairly demanding," Henning said.
Byquist said LeoStella is small company, about 60 employees, with big plans.
So, when they look to work with others, a question they ask is: "Are they willing to grow with us?"
The "All Systems Go" conference continues through Thursday. It includes a trade show with roughly 60 exhibitors representing manufacturers, service providers and suppliers.
Speakers include Tyler Alvarado of Continuous Composites in Coeur d'Alene, Jonathan Reynolds of Titus Talent and Alex Stanton of ExBabylon.
Upwards of 200 people attend the conference each year.
