A “Lean Satellite” is a satellite that utilizes non-traditional, risk-taking development and management approaches with the aim of delivering value to stakeholders at low cost and within a short timeframe while accomplishing the intended mission. These approaches differ significantly from traditional satellite development practices.

The term “Lean Satellite” emerged from international standardization activities related to the testing of small, micro-, nano-, and pico-satellites, which began in 2011. At that time, there was no universally accepted definition of these satellite categories. To better reflect their underlying development and management philosophy, rather than focusing solely on physical classifications such as size or mass, the term “Lean Satellite” was adopted in 2014.

Since 2011, an international workshop has been held regularly to discuss various aspects of Lean Satellites. The 9th workshop, scheduled for January 2027, aims to further advance the study and application of lean satellite concepts. To deliver value to stakeholders at an affordable cost and within an acceptable timeframe, a number of key issues require further exploration, including standardization, testing, operations, manufacturing, interfaces, and project management. Topics reflecting recent developments in lean satellites, such as distributed space systems, AI/ML applications, and approaches to increasingly demanding and secure missions, are also welcome.

The workshop consists of the following five sessions. Click on each session to view a more detailed description:

• Session 1: Lean Satellite Design, Manufacturing, Testing, and Mission Operations
• Session 2: Lean Mission Architectures for the Distributed Space Era
• Session 3: Overview of Lean Satellite Activities in the Asia-Pacific Region
• Session 4: Lean Satellite Lessons Learned and Mission Assurance
• Session 5: Students and Young Engineers

If you are interested in sharing your ideas and recent work, we invite you to submit an abstract through the link below.

Abstract submission