REDONDO BEACH, Calif., Sept. 4, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eminent women thought leaders from government and industry provided an informative perspective on the U.S. Department of Defense push for affordability in space at a Women in Aerospace forum hosted by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC).

The panel, moderated by Northrop Grumman's Linnie Haynesworth, vice president of aerospace products, included Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) at Los Angeles Air Force Base; Wanda Austin, chief executive officer of The Aerospace Corp.; Gwynne Shotwell, president of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX); and Betty Sapp, director of the National Reconnaissance Office.

In her opening remarks, Haynesworth noted that "the issue of space affordability is a challenge, but also represents an opportunity for our industry." The panelists discussed such topics as the role of technology, launch-on-demand capability and fixed-price contracting.

Pawlikowski said the SMC, part of the Air Force's space acquisition arm, is examining "what we buy and how we buy it." This review has put the SMC on a path toward new space architectures based on smaller and more manageable satellites. The goal, she said, is "not only affordability, but also resiliency."

Panelists also fielded questions from some of the more than 300 Northrop Grumman employees and Women in Aerospace supporters who attended the Aug. 21 event at the company's Space Park campus in Redondo Beach, Calif.

Women in Aerospace is a national organization dedicated to expanding women's opportunities for leadership and increasing their visibility in the aerospace community.

Northrop Grumman has been recognized by several organizations for its commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce and supply chain. Among them, the company was recently ranked No. 37 among the top 50 companies in diversity by DiversityInc magazine. It was also ranked No. 2 among the top 50 employers and No. 3 in the top 50 for a positive working environment for members of minority groups by Minority Engineer magazine.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

Continued here:

Northrop Grumman Hosts Distinguished Panel of Women Aerospace Leaders