ABSTRACT
Communication is a fundamental part of human existence. People need to impart information to each other, to achieve goals, cause the desired response, or just share an idea. In a space flight project development environment, lack of communication can lead to bad results. An example of poor programmatic communication would be delays in the development of a spacecraft subsystem, due to parts and materials procurement problems. In a typical flight project, the list of stakeholders may include the project team, the sponsor organization, the project team's senior management, partnering organizations and their senior management, vendors, launch vehicle provider, the science community, and the public. Effective communication within the project team is the cornerstone of a good project. Project communication should be a mix of regular meetings and e-mails on a predictable cadence. Public communication may or may not be applicable for flight projects. Performance coaching is another important element of project communication.
