Overview of The Aerospace Corporation’s Concept Design Center Daniel Nigg, Director Concept Design Center Architecture & Design Subdivision

Systems Engineering Division The Aerospace Corporation 16 December 2010 Copyright © 2010 The Aerospace Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation Assuring Mission Success

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Operates a Federally Funded Research & Development Center (FFRDC) that provides scientific and engineering support for launch, space, and related ground systems – Specialized facilities and continuity of effort required for programs that often take decades to complete – End-to-end involvement reduces development risks and costs, and allows for a high probability of mission success

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Corporate core competencies include – Launch certification – System-of-systems engineering – Systems development and acquisition – Process implementation – Technology application

The Concept Design Center (CDC) is one capability frequently used to address the majority of these core competencies [email protected] Concept Design Center

Why is concept design important? Though space is vast, there’s no room for error

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Early programmatic decision making

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Cumulative % of Budget

– Rapid yet thorough tradespace exploration of new concepts and block upgrades provides better insight into system needs – Identify drivers – Determine feasibility Life Cycle Cost Determination – Assess margins and risks – Identify technology on-ramps – Refine and validate requirements – Identify alternatives and improvements Cost Reduction Opportunities – Path pruning

Proposal analysis and source selection – Define government reference architecture – Provide technical inputs to cost estimation

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Establishing future ETG reachback

Program Phase

– Milestone decision support (PDR, CDR, etc.) – Technology readiness assessments – Program redirection Of all decisions affecting life cycle costs, approximately 70% are made during Concept Design [email protected] Concept Design Center

CDC Capabilities Bringing customers and technical experts together

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The CDC provides answers to the unique challenge of system conceptualization through effective collaboration in order to design and evaluate space and ground systems in real time

Current investigations involve various teams focusing on technical solutions – Systems Architecture Team (SAT) – Space Segment Team (SST) – Ground Segment Team (GST) – Electo-Optical Payload Team (EOPT) – Communications Payload Team (CPT)

Design Scope

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Utility Definition Concept Design Preliminary Design Critical Design

SAT SST & GST CPT & EOPT

Level of Detail

The CDC has been a Corporate resource serving both the National Security Space and Civil Space communities since its inception in the mid-1990s [email protected] Concept Design Center

Who uses the CDC? A variety of customers and missions – each with unique requirements

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Primary customers include the Space and Missile Systems Center of Air Force Space Command and the National Reconnaissance Office

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Additional support is provided to – National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) – Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) – Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)

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GST EOPT

SST Notable programs supported include – Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) – NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) – Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) – Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)

Approximately 300 CDC studies completed (1997-2010) [email protected] Concept Design Center

CPT SAT

CDC Pillars Success built on experience and lessons learned Teams leverage the full breadth and depth of required expertise available – Experience across many programs – Can include regional site experts as needed – 26 average years of experience since bachelor degree

Facilities promote interaction and connection with technical staff and customers – Support for communications and data exchange – Workstations, servers, networks, video projection, audio/video teleconferencing

Processes integrate team & design tools to produce quality results quickly Proven, repeatable, and consistent results by calling on many of the same subject matter experts and integrating the tools they use to support programs well beyond Concept Design [email protected] Concept Design Center

Multidisciplinary CDC Teams … and their interactions

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System Architecture Team (SAT) – Constellation design and coverage analysis – Top-level element sizing and interface definition – Relative cost versus requirements and utility

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Space Segment Team (SST) – Payload and spacecraft subsystem design – Detailed cost and performance estimation – Top-level ground segment and software sizing

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Ground Segment Team (GST) – Facilities, personnel, processing, communications, and cost estimates – Top-level space segment sizing

Systems Architecture Team

Software

Space Electro-Optical Payload Team (EOPT) & Segment Team Communications Payload Team (CPT) – Detailed payload subsystem trades – Performance and cost estimation – Mission requirements implications – Top-level spacecraft and ground segment estimation

Cost

Customer

Risk

Payload Processing

Core team members for each study plus additional unique expertise as required [email protected] Concept Design Center

Payload Systems Teams

Ground Segment Team

Organization Teams are staffed from the ETG Matrix ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY GROUP >1300 Engineers & Scientists

SYSTEMS PLANNING SPACE SYSTEMS Electronics & Sensors

SPACE LAUNCH

GROUND SYSTEMS

COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM INTEGRATION DEVELOPMENTAL PLANNING

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CIVIL & COMMERCIAL

[email protected] Concept Design Center

Digital & Integrated Circuit Electronics

Communications & Networking

Vehicle Systems

Systems Engineering

Laboratory Operations

Computers & Software

Digital Communication Implementation

Control Analysis

Astrodynamics

Electronics

Electromechanical Control

Performance Modeling & Analysis

Propulsion

Computer Systems Research

Materials

Ground Systems

Communication Electronics

Flight Software Validation

Space Environment

Antenna Systems

Guidance Analysis

Navigation & Geopositioning Systems

Advanced Information Systems Technology

Space Electronics Vulnerability

Communication Architectures

Fluid Mechanics

Radar & Signal Systems

Communication Systems Engineering

Spacecraft Thermal

Mission Analysis & Operations

Flight Mechanics

Space Architecture

Electronics & Power Systems Parts, Materials, & Processes

Electro-Optical Device Evaluation Visible & Infrared Sensor Systems Imagery Products & Exploitation Exploitation, Phenomenology, & Analysis

Network Systems Communication & Signal Analysis

Propulsion

Environments, Test, & Assessment Structural Dynamics Structures Mechanical Systems

Modeling & Simulation

Systems Performance, Estimation, & Algorithms Concept Design Center Cost, Schedule, & Requirements

Mission Oriented Research Special Sensor Fabrication

Information Assurance Technology

Remote Sensing Signatures

Software Assurance

MEMS

Engineering Applications

Vehicle Concepts

Telemetry & Hardware Technology

Engineering Data Systems Product & Process Assurance

Digital Electronics & Electromagnets

Economic & Market Analysis

Acquisition Risk & Reliability Engineering

Advanced Sensor Engineering

Systems Architecture, Engineering, & Cost

Ground Systems Infrastructure Development

Reliability & Statistics

System Delivery & Operations

Software Architecture & Engineering Software Systems Analysis Software Acquisition & Process

Software Systems Engineering

CDC Investigations SST Examples New Concepts & Block Changes Payload Concept

Spacecraft Bus Concept

Parametric Trade Studies

Technology Insertion 10000 Payload

Concept Assessment

Launch 10000 Performance to GTO

8000

8000

6000

6000

Contractor Concept

Data for Costing

Feasibility Alternatives Improvements Margins . . .

Proposal Analysis

Design Information Payload

Propellant

4000 2000

Advanced Technology

Bus

0

4000

Propellant

2000 Bus 0

Program or Other Cost Group

Adaptable application of expert knowledge, tools, and processes [email protected] Concept Design Center

Proposal #1

Proposal #2

IDEA tool facilitates the process Integrated Data Exchange Architecture

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Subsystem designers’ workbooks exchange data through server Subsystem interfaces are well-defined Design and analysis tools are independent of the underlying SQL database Standard network communications architecture Design Data Server

Database TCP/IP Different mix of technical experts, depending on team needs

Client

Client

Client

Client

ODBC Driver

ODBC Driver

ODBC Driver

ODBC Driver

Design/Analysis Tool

Design/Analysis Tool

Design/Analysis Tool

Design/Analysis Tool

Astrodynamics

Power

Thermal

Structures, ADACS, Comm, Cost, Utility, etc., as needed

Customers, subject matter experts, & database do not need to be co-located [email protected] Concept Design Center

Distributed Concurrent Engineering Networks link multiple design centers in real-time

Collaboration with Other Candidate Design Center(s) Operations Expertise

Technology Roadmaps & Experimental Mission Expertise

Specific Customer Familiarity & Mission Expertise

Core Teams with CDC Experience, Specific Customer Familiarity, & Mission Expertise

Strengthening customer and collaborator relationships regardless of geographic location [email protected] Concept Design Center

Concurrent Program Definition Environment Adding expanded context to the technical product Software

Customer Inputs Performance Requirements Optical Aperture Data Collection Rates Onboard Processing Power Modes Data Volume Data Latency Data Downlink Rates Comm Bandwidth & Power Pointing Accuracy Pointing Knowledge Mission Requirements Constellation Size Orbit(s) Mission Lifetime SV Design Life Survivability Radiation Maneuvers Availability Replenishment Design Constraints Tech Freeze Launch Vehicle

CPDE

Cost Risk

Payload Processing Space Segment Team

Subsystem Mass & Power Estimates, Growth Contingencies, SV Dry Mass, Mission delta-V, Propellant Mass, EOL Power, BOL Power (Solar Array & Battery sizing), Thermal Cycling, Technology Readiness, Design Heritage, Comm Availabilities & Durations, Inertias, Deployed & Stowed Packaging, LV Margin, SLOC, Facilities, Personnel, Life Cycle Costs (Dev, Prod, O&M)

Acquisition Strategy Blocks, Spirals Contracting Down-Selection CONOPS Operational Views Performance Capacity Quality Utility Availability Schedule Milestones Tech On- & Off-Ramps Software Management Strategy Funding Budget Profile Risk Identification Mitigation

Incorporates programmatic assessments through feed back into technical team sessions [email protected] Concept Design Center

CDC Events Timeline Typical for studies with new or repeat customers

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Study Planning (2 to 8 weeks)* – – – –

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CDC design session (2 to 4 half-days)* – – – –

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Customer and CDC systems engineer scope the study Generate Statement of Work (SOW) Tool Development and Research Pre-Session Design/Analysis Work • Subset of the team & customer meet to work specific issues

Mission and customer introduction Customer describes mission goals, needs, wants, and desires Team gathers information from the customer Concurrent design process

Post-CDC session activities (4 weeks)* – Comprehensive report – Contributions by each team member and customer – Detailed assumptions including risk areas and technical considerations

* Timeline assumes minimal tool development & focused study objectives [email protected] Concept Design Center

Types of Success in the CDC Continuing effort to improve and expand these capabilities

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Design Validation – CDC design validated contractor design very close to what will fly Requirements Validation – Rapid exploration of configurations provided better insight into system needs; requirements rewritten to be unambiguous and verifiable Technical Improvements – Optimized constellations and replenishment strategies to save costs – Developed alternate SV transfer orbit designs, increasing available SV mass for payloads or propellant Cost Reduction – Careful orbit selection to optimize SV duty cycle and power sizing reduced the initial estimated SV mass, allowing spacecraft to fly on smaller launch vehicle Path Pruning – Vetting unfeasible ideas early, saving program cost that would be needed to explore or develop them Team Building – Accelerated customer education – early-on, program personnel are still learning about their system-to-be, and will carry early knowledge and decisions with them – Sharpen skills for other activities such as source selection or cost estimation

Concurrent design provides our customers with timely, integrated, lower risk solutions [email protected] Concept Design Center

Summary Flexible capabilities for conceptual design

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The CDC – Serves the entire NSS community – Provides insight into the performance, cost, & risk of requirements – Addresses space system architecture, spacecraft, ground systems, and payload concepts – Supports key programmatic decisions by providing sound unbiased technical information throughout program development • Advanced planning, trade studies, cost estimates • RFP preparation, source selection • Milestone decision support, program redirection

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CDC studies can be a gateway into the rest of The Aerospace Corporation – Technical reach-back to entire engineering matrix and toolset – Significant cross-program knowledge base and experience – Adaptable framework supporting design and development activities

Real-time, collaborative, concurrent engineering in Concept Design enables our customers to make informed decisions [email protected] Concept Design Center

Continued success Built on lessons learned

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The CDC’s real-time, collaborative, concurrent engineering – Is a capability used to rapidly explore the impacts of mission and design requirements on a system

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To enable the design of new concepts or block changes and assessment of proposed designs (in terms of feasibility, alternatives, improvements, margins, etc.) Determine implications of technology insertion Provide technical data for program cost estimation efforts Identify and characterize risks early in a program’s lifecycle

– Requires the right mix of

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Suitable facilities and infrastructure Evolving processes and tools (including standardization and configuration control) Experienced (yet adaptable) subject matter experts with organizational reach-back and support Regular interaction and solicitation of feedback from customers, team members, and their management to direct development of future capabilities

CDC and Corporate leadership are active in the “Concurrent Engineering” community [email protected] Concept Design Center

Overview of The Aerospace Corporation’s Concept Design Center Daniel Nigg, Director Concept Design Center Architecture & Design Subdivision

Systems Engineering Division 16 December 2010