Frank McKenna, president of International Launch Services (ILS), took part in a very full panel Tuesday on “Launch Services: Pressure to Perform.” It also included his counterparts from several other launch providers, as well as satellite operators SES and Intelsat, and satellite manufacturers Orbital and Lockheed Martin. All were asked, “What is the most significant problem facing the industry today?”
Frank’s opinion: there must be a focus on performance. He cited the recent accomplishment of 6 successful Proton launches in less than 4 months. He noted that the launch business requires significant investment in infrastructure, and said the challenge is how to maintain a financially viable launch industry.