Meet Kimberly Budnick, a Configuration Analyst based in Merritt Island, Fla. Kimberly manages the Work Request process, which drives off-nominal work on the factory floor. She also coordinates legacy documentation, provides configuration management support for hardware matrices and as-builts, and helps lead the transition between legacy Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Florida documentation systems to one Airbus U.S. Space & Defense system.

Kimberly has been with Airbus U.S. Space & Defense for nearly three years. Prior to joining Airbus U.S., she worked as a project manager on Artemis—NASA’s space program to return to the Moon— at the Kennedy Space Center.

She was drawn to configuration management by her interest in the behind-the-scenes work that is critical to a project’s success.

“Configuration Management and Documentation, when done well, can be the backbone of a good process,” she said. “It provides all of the tools needed to understand what has been done, what needs to be done, and what can be improved.”

Growing up on Florida’s Space Coast sparked Kimberly’s early admiration for space exploration.

Looking ahead, Kimberly is excited about the future of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense as it moves towards transitioning to one documentation system.

“I believe it will open new lines of communication and collaboration, helping us to take our satellite manufacturing to the next level,” she said.

What makes Kimberly most proud to work at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense is seeing the innovation happening throughout the company.

“Watching the satellites come off the line in our factory— and realizing how recently that would have seemed impossible— is staggering,” she said. “It’s incredible seeing how hard the team worked to implement a high-quality, low-cost satellite in such a short amount of time.”

Outside of work, Kimberly enjoys running, traveling, and watching movies. Her perfect day consists of a sunny trip to Disneyworld with her family.