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Managing the Gemini Project Matt Mountain - Director Jim Oschmann -Project Manager Background Project Management

Managing the Gemini Project Matt Mountain - Director Jim Oschmann -Project Manager Background Project Management approach Results Final Thoughts National Science Board Committee on Programs & Plans 15 th November, 2001. Jim Oschmann Experience.

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Managing the Gemini Project Matt Mountain - Director Jim Oschmann -Project Manager Background Project Management

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  1. Managing the Gemini Project • Matt Mountain - Director • Jim Oschmann -Project Manager • Background Project Management approach • Results • Final Thoughts • National Science Board • Committee on Programs & Plans • 15th November, 2001

  2. Jim OschmannExperience • 20 years experience working in optics industries • Defense R&D in High Energy Lasers, Laser Communications, Laser Radar & IR systems • TRW, Hughes, Sensis Corp (Optical Systems Engineer and Systems Engineer) • Commercial Optical Industrial experience • Phase Shift Technology (Manager of Optical Systems) • With Gemini for nine years • Systems Engineer in 1992 • Acting Project Manager 1993 • Systems Engineering Manager 1994-1997 • Project Manager 1998 to present Optical Systems Systems Engineering Project Management • Education in Optical Sciences • University of Rochester and University of Arizona

  3. The Gemini Scientific Mission • “The main themes of the science programs are concerned with observing and understanding the origins and evolution of stars and planetary systems, of galaxies, and of the Universe itself. The telescopes will be used to observe objects ranging in distance from within own our Solar System to within 10% of the observable horizon of the Universe” Gemini Science Requirements, 1991

  4. International Agreement and Gemini Board defined “Gemini” • Construction • Two 8m telescopes, on Mauna Kea and Cerro Pachon • Superb image quality, infrared optimized configuration • Initial instrument complement • Operations • Operations infrastructure at Hilo and La Serena • Build up and training of operations staff • Enable and support community access and exploitation of the Gemini telescopes to undertake forefront astrophysical research • Development • On-going Instrumentation Program • Upgrades and enhancements of existing instruments • Facilities development • Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics • Detector development • Internet-II infrastructure

  5. Gemini Schedule $8M Australia joins 1992 1997 2002 Construction $184M Operations $68M Development International Agreement signed Science Requirements & Implementation Plan accepted $31M Telescope “first light”

  6. Site Construction

  7. Completed Telescopes

  8. Gemini Construction Schedule 1991 Initial Hiring of Central Project Team - Concept Design Begins 1992 Primary Mirror Blanks Procured (long lead item) 1993 International Agreement Signed 1994 Construction Activities Begin (polishing, enclosure, & site construction) 1995 Telescope Structures Contract • Mauna Kea & Cerro Pachon Foundations Complete • First Primary Mirror Completed & Telescope Structure Delivered to GN • Telescope Installed with Primary Mirror (GN), Telescope Structure Delivered to GS, GS Primary Mirror Completed 1999 Engineering First Light on Gemini North 2000 Initial Science Observations from Gemini North Engineering First Light on Gemini South 2001 Initial Science Observations from Gemini South 2002 Construction Close-out Science Observing and Instrument Commissioning

  9. Construction Project Australia Joins +$9.2M

  10. + $0M - $0.3M Budget = $184M Both Gemini Telescopes Completed Mauna Kea, Hawaii and on Cerro Pachon, Chile Gemini North - Mauna Kea Gemini South - Cerro Pachon Schedule - 3 months Both Observatories in limited science observations ‘punch list’ construction and commissioning activities in full swing

  11. Features of the Gemini Construction Project • AURA Managed • Dedicated division set up to concentrate on Gemini • Oversight committee including senior engineering manager input • JPL Chief Engineer • Lockheed Martin Engineering Manager • Carried out as one unified project • Two construction sites • Limited initial instrument complement • Partner funding provided when required • NSF worked with partners to ensure project not limited by cash flow concerns • Partners took responsibility timely funding for transition to operations and for continued development

  12. Features of the Gemini Construction Project • Science objectives defined and prioritized • Cost fixed, so constant ‘tension’ built into process • Effort to get most for the money • Central single management of effort • Contingency funds managed centrally • Product Oriented Work Breakdown • Organization matches WBS • Subcontractors managed rigorously • Project Scientist part of design team • Partner with Project Management • Instrument Management was the exception • Initially had more control at the partner level

  13. Gemini Construction ProjectOrganization

  14. Design Process • Establish science requirements • Perform conceptual design and analysis • Design requirements • Flow down through error budgeting process • System breakdown and major interfaces defined • Initial integration plan established early • Schedule reworked from bottom up • Trades in concepts • Cost, risk, and science trades • Hard choices made early • Long lead items designed and procured early • Minimizing schedule risk • Focuses remaining design effort

  15. Systems and subsystem reviews • Science and engineering reviews • Major cost trades performed early • Systems reviews • Science representatives from all partners • High level plan and trades presented and discussed • Conceptual, preliminary, and critical design reviews for major subsystems • Mix of internal and external reviewers • Brought in specialists as required • Several science working groups for specific reviews and trades • Vendor reviews in some cases

  16. Cost Estimates • Cost estimates reviewed consistent with reviews • Bottoms up cost estimates • Drove major trades and risks • Trade of budget across WBS to solve problems • Systems Engineering involvement • Cost, schedule and technical trades • Cost progress reviewed on monthly basis • Problems identified early • Competitive bidding where possible • Some partner work altered to full international bidding • Goal was producing the most science for the money • Major exception was instrumentation • Partners took on cost risk for this freedom • Instrument costs “ring-fenced”

  17. Schedule • Schedule was structured from bottoms up • Driven by Systems Engineering • Sub system organization • Integration & Test planning for flow of assembly • Schedule • Options, trades, feedback into Integration & Test planning • Major elements followed WBS • Progress reviewed monthly along with budget

  18. Development of systems plan:Defining InterfacesGemini Example:Science Instruments Internal Interfaces

  19. System I&T Plan

  20. Schedule based upon flow diagramGemini overall example(details too numerous to present)

  21. Design SmoothTransition to Operations(Gemini Example)

  22. Contingency PlanningA Key to Risk mitigation • Hold budget in project office for contingency (<10% for Gemini) • Need to prioritize this with science goals • No time to re-do this at end of design phase • Exception are items easily cut or defined as future additions • Design with mind toward achieving all goals, but in modular fashion if money is limited • Establish Time contingency in project schedule • Allowing time and money for recovery from problems • Establish key dates for decisions, early Stick to them Most projects need financial and functional contingency Options for future upgrades considered if financial limits are exceeded

  23. Gemini Telescopes “designed to cost”- key scientific capabilities not compromised Change orders < 5%

  24. Meetings & Reporting • Weekly • Internal managers meeting • Weekly engineering group meetings • Conference and video meetings for extended groups • Monthly • Schedule and budget reviews • PM, PS, Director, Systems Engineer, each engineering manager • Partner manager meetings • Project scientist meetings with partner scientist representatives • Contract progress reports • 2-3 times per year • Partner meetings for overall progress & issues • Oversight committee • Gemini Finance Committee • Gemini Board

  25. Other Techniques • Rigorous subcontract management • Project central contracts manager • Strong technical leads • Active Gemini Board involvement • Partner issues and trades • Cash flow issues • Science issues and trades • Taking Gemini Science Committee and Project input Always focused on success of project • Timely and consistent help from NSF and Gemini Board • Partner issues secondary to partnership success • Two way flow of information and help • Provide the best facilities for partners to use scientifically

  26. “Lessons Learned” on Gemini • Cost was the constraint • Develop Science Requirements and Goals • Integrated Approach • International Partnership “buy-in” essential

  27. Summary • NSF provided the single point of contact between AURA and the NSF (as Executive Agency for the International Partnership) and delegated full Project Management responsibilities to AURA ensuring considerable: • Autonomy • Authority • Responsibility • Accountability Performance • Instruments where another matter….

  28. Matt MountainExperience • 20 years building and observing with forefront astronomical groundbased instrumentation • Research interests: Starformation and starformation systems in galaxies (including our own), infrared instrumentation, capabilities of “second generation telescopes”. • 15 years experience with managing groundbased programs in the UK and US • With Gemini for nine years • Project Scientist in 1992 • Project & Observatory Director 1994 Research astronomer Project Scientist Director • For my entire career, astronomy has been an exhilarating, international and cost constrained experience • A useful background for managing a complex program within the NSF-Gemini Partnership environment

  29. International Agreement Annex A – Project Description Defined what was to be delivered within $176M (modified to $184M) Mauna Kea Cerro Pachon Infrared optimized 8m telescope Infrared optimized 8m telescope Multiple instrument mount Multiple instrument mount Actively ventilated enclosure Actively ventilated enclosure Summit support buildings Summit support buildings Access roads, power and water Construction camp 8m multi-layer coating facility Upgraded 8m coating facility Computer infrastructure & remote observing capability Computer infrastructure & remote observing capability Infrared camera (+ spec.) Infrared spectrometer X High res. optical spectrograph Multi-Object Spec. + Imager Multi-Object Spec. + Imager + $300K High Low order adaptive optics

  30. Gemini NorthData from 2000-2001 semesters • 2000B: 33 programs (Quick Start Programs) • 51 CDs of science; 66 CDs of calibration data sent to PIs • 2001A: 25 programs • 85 CDs sent to PIs • 2001B: 12 programs to date • 50 CDs sent to PIs so far • Total: 252 CDs, 70 programs to date N.B. several 10s of CDs of SV data to be released Gemini South Observations just begun

  31. First results with facility IR Imager Gemini North Star forming Region AFGL 2591 NIRI f/6 2’ x 2’ J, K bands FWHM=0.35’’

  32. Gemini South + ABU + fast tip/tilt • Brackett  • FWHM ~ 0.35” • 1 minute integration Gemini-South IR (4 micron) Commissioning Images of Galactic Center - IR optimization at work… • Simons & Becklin 1992 • IRTF (3.6m) - L’ • 16,000 images shift/add • An entire night….

  33. Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph – Optical Imaging NGC 628 (Messier 74) 32 Mega pixels/frame

  34. Final thoughts on managing international projects within the NSF • International Projects are more complex • Requires clear definition and agreement of requirements and goals • International stakeholders are partnersnotsub-contractors • The NSF approach to international programs has (to date) worked well • There is real value-added from the Gemini partnership • “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts”

  35. Financial structures and accountability undoubtedly more complex 4 different financial years and accounting principles several overhead structures being subject to seven different Science Agencies budget cycles can introduce cash flow uncertainties However, this does allow considerable financial flexibility Use the UK’s, Canada’s and Australia’s 5 year financial planning cycle to make cash commitments beyond the annual US appropriations Makes available enormous effective cash reserves to do the project correctly International Partnership Cost vs. Benefit

  36. Governance, and Advisory structures undoubtedly more complex Spent approx. year building consensus on approach (~$4M) 30% ~ 50% of travel costs can attributed to “international issues” (~$150K-$200K/year) Internationalization does not mean national committees go away Cost ~3% of $184M program However, this does introduce considerable international awareness and competition consideration of alternative approaches national communities, even “premier organizations” have to compete Management and Science Team consensus: this has clearly led to a better “product” International Partnership Cost vs. Benefit

  37. With the NSF approach to international projects, innovation and risk management not inhibited • In construction both Gemini telescopes were required to deliver exceptional (and unprecedented) performance within a fixed budget • 0.1 arcseconds image quality • 4% infrared emissivity • $184M fixed capital budget • In Operations partnership is experimenting with an “adaptive operations model” • Implement “adaptive queue scheduling” to match observations with optimum conditions, and complete highly ranked programs • Using new technologies, support both telescopes separated by continents using a single engineering team • Queue and classical observations synchronized to be “out of phase” on Gemini North and South to optimize support costs, while maximizing scientific return • In the Gemini case, NSF has supported the taking of risks • National Science Board concluded that the Gemini operational approach was a “worthwhile experiment”

  38. Clear agreement on the scientific priorities, requirements, goals and expectations at the outset of the Gemini Project Insisting on a single management entity with the responsibility and accountability for: Science requirements change control System architecture and system engineering [happened late in Gemini] Total program budget The NSF’s willingness to “go the extra mile” to maintain partnership showing flexibility when partners hit financial troubles, pump-priming initiatives (PIO, Internet-II) Note: How America Does It, Foreign Affairs, 1997, Sept/Oct., p.13-27“Great powers remain great if they promote their own interests by serving those of others” What the NSF got right in the Gemini Partnership

  39. Current and Future Challenges • Groundbased projects are increasingly more complex and expensive • Capital investment in ESO-VLT ~ $1.2Billion DM’s • Capital investment in ALMA will be ~ $700M - $800M • 30m GSMT will require ~ $500M capital, ~ $40M/year operations • 100m OWL will require ~ $1,000M capital, ~ $80M/year operations • These are the required ‘particle accelerators’, and ‘space missions’ of modern groundbased astronomy • Numbers of this scale require ‘a project culture’ at the NSF • Responding to global challenges of this scale cannot be “PI driven” • Requires long-term budgetary and program plans (and inter-Agency coordination) • Requires strategic leadership • However NSF is gaining considerable experience with complex international partnerships and larger projects….

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