Systems Engineering Goddard's GPR Guideline, Mission Concept Studies, and Support Tools

1. Systems Engineering Goddard's GPR Guideline, Mission Concept Studies, and Support Tools John Azzolini Systems Engineering Services and Advanced Concepts Branch September 2005

2. Agenda • A Brief Overview Of GPR 7120.5A Concepts • An Examination Of The Pre-phase A Concept Study To Illustrate The Guidelines • A Demonstration Of A Systems Engineering Validation Support Tool GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

3. Overview of GPR 7120.5A What is the GPR? • A practical definition of what should be done as a part of good systems engineering practice • Based on the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook SP-6105 • Incorporates principles of industry systems engineering standards Why do we have it? • Correct deficiencies in the execution of systems engineering. (Many of the root causes of Aerospace Industry failures were traced to poor systems engineering) • Describe what constitutes good systems engineering • Improve uniformity of systems engineering in completeness and quality How can it be useful? • Serves as a set of reminders for what should be considered • Provides guidance for establishing a project unique systems engineering plan • Provide common understanding and expectations within the Goddard systems engineering community GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

4. Overview of GPR 7120.5A Principles • Encourage a Team Approach • Cover full mission life-cycle • Define the whats • Show product maturity over life-cycle • Stress Validation • Keep good practices of the past GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

5. Overview of GPR 7120.5A Document Contents • Preface – Purpose, Applicability, Authority, References, Cancellation, Safety, Training, Records, Metrics, Definitions • Roles and Responsibilities • Communications • Key Systems Engineering Functions • Configuration Management and Documentation • Systems Engineering Management Plan • App A - Systems Engineering Requirements • App B - System Engineering Management Plan Outline • App C - Tailoring Guidelines GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

6. Overview of GPR 7120.5A Roles And Responsibilities • Project or study manager teams with Mission Systems Engineer • Mission Systems Engineer coordinates and facilitates team • SEMP describes details GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

7. System Engineering Life-cycle Overview of GPR 7120.5A GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

8. Perhaps the most important skill a system engineer needs… … is the ability to build a team of engaged, focused, and productive players. Overview of GPR 7120.5A Communications • Systems Engineering is a Team Activity • The Mission System Engineer facilitates and coordinates team effort • Solutions converge when decisions are made • Validation is the job of all team members GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

9. Overview of GPR 7120.5A The organization of information, to understand our goals, … Key Systems Engineering Functions • Understanding the Objectives • Operations Concept Development • Architecture and Design Development • Requirements Identification and Management • Validation and Verification • Interfaces and ICDs • Mission Environments • Technical Resource Budget Tracking • Risk Management • System Milestone Reviews … and to systematically achieve them . GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

10. Overview of GPR 7120.5A Maintaining information which accurately reflects our decisions … Configuration Management and Documentation • Identify information products which must be “configured” • Use project CM system to maintain • Single point of configuration • Change control at the appropriate time … to assure integrated success . GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

11. Overview of GPR 7120.5A “Plans are nothing - … Systems Engineering Management Plan • What, who, when, where, how • An active plan, it is updated and used to plan efforts • Products defined • Tasks defined • Schedule maintained • Costs maintained … planning is everything” – Dwight Eisenhower. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

12. Mission Concept StudyPre-phase A Understanding and Implementing the GPR GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

13. Mission Concept Study • Back to the SE functions • Understanding the Objectives • Operations Concept Development • Architecture and Design Development • Requirements Identification and Management • Validation and Verification • Interfaces and ICDs • Mission Environments • Technical Resource Budget Tracking • Risk Management • System Milestone Reviews • What is known? What needs to be known? • Let’s start at the very beginning GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

14. Mission Concept Study “All the worst mistakes … Mission Objectives Mission Needs is a better term … are made the first day” – Anon. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

15. Mission Concept Study Mission Needs for Other NASA Mission Types GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

16. Mission Concept Study Design Specification and Validation Flows GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

17. Mission Concept Study Mission Design … Payload Concept … depends on payload design. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

18. Mission Concept Study Partitioning of functionality … Mission Design … between space and groundis made here. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

19. Mission Concept Study And now … System Design Instrument Accommodation Requirements Mission System Requirements Spacecraft Design Ground System Design Launch Accommodations Mission Architecture Mission Operations Concept … system design can proceed. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

20. Mission Concept Study A continuing validation of products … Verification and Validation Validation - Assuring that the design is correct (“Did we build the right system?”) • Validation of mission needs flow-down (“flow of authority”) (necessary) • Validation of design compliance to needs (sufficient) • Functionality • Performance Analysis Verification - Assuring that the implementation is correct (“Did we build the system right?”) • Testing, analysis, and inspection • Verification of function and performance • Verification of implementation • Verification of operations Note: Many people (erroneously, in my opinion) call end-item operational verification – “Validation” – Pshaw! … keeps the team coordinated. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

21. Payload Concept Mission Concept Study Putting it all together … Mission Needs Mission Design System Design … for a complete validation of design. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

22. Mission Concept Study Good interface requirements and interface control documents … Interface Requirements and ICDs • Interface Requirements • Functional • Performance • Standards Compliance • Interface Control Documents • Function • Form • Specifications • Properties Covered • Mechanical • Electrical • Thermal • Power • Ground • … … allow decoupling of implementation efforts. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

23. Launch Environment GEVS Mechanical – Sine, Sine Sweep, Acoustic Electrical - EMI, EMC Shock External RF External Space Environment Atomic Oxygen Radiation TID Radiation SEE Thermal Cycling Power Cycling Internal Environment Grounding Noise Power Surges Mission Concept Study Determine mission environments early … Mission Environments … and apply uniformly. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

24. Mission Concept Study “Everything depends on … Mission Technical Resources Mass – Affects launch margin, ACS, propellant Power – Affects mass, thermal dissipation Thermal – Affects Alignment, Life, calibration Attitude – Affects measurement resolution, image smearing Position – Affects orbit dependent aspect knowledge Data – Affects bandwidth, link margin, storage RF – Affects power, mass Essentially all the things where margins are defined … everything” – old systems engineering adage. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

25. Mission Concept Study Mission risks … Mission Risks Safety Risks • Hazard analyses are the prime method to identify safety risks • Project management should understand and manage safety risks Performance Risks • FMEA, FTA, RBD and PRA are good tools here • Sound design practices, simple robust designs, and adequate peer review • High to low risks often on a logarithmic scale • Project management should understand and manage performance risks Programmatic Risks • Schedule, Cost • Classical FMEA, FTA, RBD do not apply here, • Communication and continuous assessment of progress • High to low risks often on a linear scale • Element lead and/or project management has responsibility for managing programmatic risks … are of three distinct types. GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

26. Mission Concept Study Product Maturity and Reviews GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

27. A Systems EngineeringValidation Support Tool Caveat: A fool with a tool is still a fool GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05

28. In closing . . . Come my friends, ‘tis not too late to seek a newer world.Push off, and sitting well in order smitethe surrounding furrows; for my purpose holdsto sail beyond the sunset, and the bathsof all the western stars, until I die. - A. Lord Tennyson, Ulysses GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar - 9/13/05