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A knowledge management initiative in ESA/ESOC

Roberta Mugellesi Dow (Member of the Flight Dynamics Division, in the Ground Systems Engineering Department at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) of ESA in Darmstadt, Germany. She received her degree in Mathematics and postgraduate degree in Automatic Computation from the University of Pisa, Italy. She has over 20 years of professional experience in mission planning and Flight Dynamics operations of ESA satellites during the pre‐launch mission preparation phase, the launch and early orbit phase as well as during the routine phase of the mission. Recently, she received the Master in Business Administration with major in International Business from the Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany. Her current research interests lie in the area of knowledge management policy and strategy.)
Nicolas Bobrinsky (Based at the European Space Agency/European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany.)
Siegmar Pallaschke (Based at the European Space Agency/European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany.)
Mariella Spada (Based at the European Space Agency/European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany.)
Manfred Warhaut (Based at the European Space Agency/European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany.)

Journal of Knowledge Management

ISSN: 1367-3270

Article publication date: 1 March 2006

2343

Abstract

Purpose

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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.

Design/methodology/approach

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The paper investigates the challenges of implementing a corporate knowledge management system in ESOC, where currently the knowledge is managed in several different ways. The driver of the knowledge management initiative has been the need for developing a system able to locate intellectual capital and technical expertise.

Findings

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The paper has identified the following main items to be considered in support of the ESOC knowledge management initiative: need for a consistent set of documentation, maintained under configuration control and regularly updated to reflect actual status; formation of cross‐support functional teams; usage of a Centralized ESTRACK Status and Diagnostic System (CESADS) as a supervisory/diagnostic tool for the ground operations; and need for knowledge management evolution.

Originality/value

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Although just at the starting‐point, the needs and the benefits of the above points have been acknowledged at ESOC to guarantee reliable and efficient execution of the responsibilities of the Centre. The points raised are expected to be of interest to space industry planners, executives and researchers.

Keywords

Citation

Mugellesi Dow, R., Bobrinsky, N., Pallaschke, S., Spada, M. and Warhaut, M. (2006), "A knowledge management initiative in ESA/ESOC", Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 22-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270610656601

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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