Lean Space Tech: Borrowing From Agile, Respecting Hardware Reality
- rvillhard
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
Agile changed the way software gets built. But in deep tech (where hardware and software meet in rockets, reactors, and habitats) copying software playbooks blindly can backfire. Hardware has long lead times, expensive prototypes, real safety margins, and unlike software, you only get one launch, not a series of incremental ones. You can’t just “move fast and break things” when what breaks costs millions or risks lives.
Still, the principles of Agile absolutely belong here. Iteration, feedback loops, and visible progress are critical. The trick is applying them with respect for the realities of hardware.
What Works
• Incremental builds: Even in propulsion or life support, you can structure work as small, testable subsystems that roll up to a larger system (a practice even traditional waterfall projects tend toward).
• Fast feedback: Use simulation, digital twins, and breadboards to collapse the time between design decisions and results.
• Stakeholder visibility: Regular demos don’t have to mean shipping code. They can mean showing clear requirements (especially derived ones), early test results, or integrated models.
What Doesn’t Work
• Time-boxed sprints for everything: Hardware rarely moves on software’s clock. Forcing it to race leads to meaningless milestones, excessive “statusing,” and team frustration.
• Ignoring system dependencies: Deep tech projects live or die by integration. Agile rituals that silo teams can create dangerous, local blind spots.
• Skipping verification: In software, test coverage can be automated. In hardware, skipping formal verification means gambling with success.
The Balance
Deep tech leaders who will thrive in the new space economy borrow Agile’s mindset (adaptability, iteration, and customer focus) while designing workflows that respect the physics, supply chains, and safety standards of their hardware-dependent systems.
Lean doesn’t mean reckless. It means removing waste while keeping the rigor that keeps rockets flying, habitats livable, and systems safe. Done right, it delivers business value quickly and accelerates ROI.
Totally agree that incremental builds are the sweet spot for applying Agile to hardware-heavy projects. Good read.
The challenge we've often seen is simply the sheer overhead of requirements → tests → reports. When verification workflows themselves become a bottleneck, teams lose the agility you’re advocating for. Curious how others are thinking about making V&V lean without sacrificing compliance or safety?