Aurora One Launch | Project Brief

Objective

Launch Aurora One at retail on October 20, 2026 with certified hardware, launch firmware 1.0, and a public companion app, then scale manufacturing to sustained holiday demand without compromising field quality.

KR1Sell through 35,000 units between launch and Dec 31 across direct and two retail partners.
KR2App store rating of 4.5 or higher with crash-free sessions above 99.6% in the first 60 days.
KR3Field return rate below 1.2% in the first 90 days after launch.

Scope

In scope

Aurora One hub hardware: EVT through PVT builds, FCC and CE certification
Launch firmware 1.0 with OTA update pipeline
Companion app for iOS and Android, plus device cloud API v1
Manufacturing ramp to 20,000 units per month by Nov 20
Launch event, press program, preorder flow, holiday campaign
Retail packaging, in-box documentation, and support playbooks

Out of scope

Aurora One Pro variant and any second SKU (deferred to 2027 planning)
Voice assistant integration beyond baseline Matter support
EU retail distribution; EU launch limited to direct online sales
Subscription features or paid cloud tiers
Localization beyond English, Spanish, and French

Deliverables

Deliverable	Owner	Due	Status
EVT hardware build (25 units)	R. Chen	Feb 20	Done
OTA update pipeline on staging fleet	S. Iyer	May 29	Done
Companion app closed beta (iOS and Android)	P. Nakamura	Jun 26	Done
FCC and CE certification granted	R. Chen	Sep 04	In progress
Retail packaging and in-box documentation	L. Moreau	Sep 18	At risk
Launch firmware 1.0 gold master	S. Iyer	Oct 09	In progress
Launch site and preorder flow live	L. Moreau	Oct 13	Planned
Mass production at 20,000 units per month	T. Alvarez	Nov 20	Planned

Milestones

Jan 12 Program kickoff Scope, budget, and staffing approved by steering committee.
Apr 24 DVT exit review Design validated; second-source Wi-Fi module qualified.
Jun 26 PVT exit and app beta live Production process validated; 500-household beta opened.
Sep 04 Certification granted FCC and CE grants in hand; gate for retail packaging print run.
Oct 20 Public launch Launch event, retail availability, app store GA.
Nov 20 Production at target rate Sustained 20,000 units per month with yield above 97%.
Dec 04 Post-launch review KR scoring, field quality readout, 2027 handoff.

Risks

Certification retest delay

Likelihood: Medium Impact: High

A failed radiated emissions test would force a board respin and slip the Sep 04 grant, which gates packaging and launch.

Mitigation: Pre-scan completed at an accredited lab in early Aug; shield-can rework validated on pilot units. Owner: R. Chen.

Wi-Fi module supply constraint

Likelihood: Low Impact: High

Primary module vendor has quoted extended lead times for Q4 allocations, threatening the ramp to 20,000 units per month.

Mitigation: Second source qualified during DVT; split POs issued 60/40 with buffer stock for four weeks of production. Owner: T. Alvarez.

App store review timing

Likelihood: Medium Impact: Medium

A rejection or slow review cycle close to launch could leave the app unavailable on day one.

Mitigation: Release candidate submitted three weeks ahead of launch with a phased-release fallback. Owner: P. Nakamura.

Holiday freight capacity

Likelihood: High Impact: Medium

Ocean freight for the November replenishment lands in peak season; missed sailings would starve retail partners in December.

Mitigation: Air freight allocation booked by Sep 30 for 15% of volume; retail safety stock front-loaded in October. Owner: T. Alvarez.

Owners (RACI-lite)

JW J. Whitfield
Executive sponsor, budget and gates A
DO D. Okafor
Program lead, schedule and integration R
RC R. Chen
Hardware engineering and certification R
SI S. Iyer
Firmware, OTA, and cloud platform R
PN P. Nakamura
Companion app, iOS and Android R
TA T. Alvarez
Manufacturing, supply chain, logistics R
LM L. Moreau
Go-to-market, packaging, launch C
KV K. Varga
Customer support readiness I

R responsible / A accountable / C consulted / I informed