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The objective of this capstone project was to build a simulated system using the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System/Defense Acquisition System (JCIDS/DAS) process to gain insight into JCIDS/DAS as it relates to unmanned robotics systems. JCIDS and DAS are the Department of Defense’s procedures and guidelines for acquiring military programs. Using JCIDS/DAS and system engineering (SE) methodology, the team developed a radiological clearance system (RCS) and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) using LEGO MINSTORMS. The UGV was named the Threat Exposure and Clearing Hardware Manipulated Autonomously or Networked (TECHMAN). The team researched UGVs, software platforms and the JCIDS /DAS regulations to tailor an SE approach in designing and building the TECHMAN robot, starting with the mission needs and requirements followed by system architecture development. The team tested and evaluated two TECHMAN systems. One system was teleoperated and the other was autonomous. The team compared the test results and other system attributes of the two platforms. The knowledge gained from the project results was used to provide insight into the JCIDS/DAS process with regard to procurement of robotics systems.

This presentation addresses project management and systems engineering and integration challenges for return to flight, focusing on the Thermal Protection System Tile Repair Project (TRP). The program documentation philosophy, communication with program requirements flow and philosophy and planned deliverables and documentation are outlined. The development of TRP 'use-as-is' analytical tools is also highlighted and emphasis is placed on the use flight history to assess pre-flight and real-time risk. Additionally, an overview is provided of the repair procedure, including an outline of the logistics deployment chart.

Guidelines and ground rules followed in the development of requirements for the SPS are presented. Development planning objectives are specified in each of these areas, and evolutionary SPS program scenarios are described for the various concepts studied during the past one year contract. Program descriptions are presented as planning packages of technical tasks, and schedule phasing. Each package identifies the ground based technology effort that will facilitate SPS definitions, designs, development, and operations.

A system-of-systems engineering approach to suit the Australian land force capability integration challenge is developed drawing on the international body of knowledge. The approach proposed would require only quite modest resources. The nature of the activities and the artefacts to produce are defined, with a focus on SoS requirements engineering aspects and how these influence the resulting project- and SoS-level test and evaluation activities.

Despite the holistic approach of systems engineering (SE), systems still fail, and sometimes spectacularly. Requirements, solutions and the world constantly evolve and are very difficult to keep current. SE requires more flexibility and new approaches to SE have to be developed to include creativity as an integral part and where the functions of people and technology are appropriately allocated within our highly interconnected complex organizations. Instead of disregarding complexity because it is too difficult to handle, we should take advantage of it, discovering behavioral attractors and the emerging properties that it generates. Human-centered design (HCD) provides the creativity factor that SE lacks. It promotes modeling and simulation from the early stages of design and throughout the life cycle of a product. Unifying HCD and SE will shape appropriate human-systems integration (HSI) and produce successful systems.

NASA's Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) is a cockpit decision support tool that provides aircrew with vertical and lateral flight-path optimizations with the intent of achieving significant fuel and time savings, while automatically avoiding traffic, weather, and restricted airspace conflicts. A key step towards the maturation and deployment of TAP concerned its operational evaluation in a representative flight environment. This Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) addresses the test-vehicle design, systems integration, and flight-test planning for the first TAP operational flight evaluations, which were successfully completed in November 2013. The trial outcomes are documented in the Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) flight evaluation paper presented at the 14th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference, Atlanta, GA. (AIAA-2014-2166, Maris, J. M., Haynes, M. A., Wing, D. J., Burke, K. A., Henderson, J., & Woods, S. E., 2014).

AFRL desires to develop a recommended process and associated guideline document supporting more rapid maturation and risk reduction for new Manufacturing Technologies (MT). AFRL sponsored a 6 month study task to make an initial assessment of promising tools and methods, formulate a high-level technical strategy, and generate an initial outline of a guideline document. Six candidate topic areas were identified for further evaluation, and proposed activities were defined and integrated with the current MRL/MRA process. The proposed approach advocates an additional Manufacturing Thread in the MRL process: Systems Engineering for Manufacturing Technology. The recommended activities were integrated into six sub-threads, and aligned with MRL gate criteria. Alternatively, proposed activities could be implemented as a Recommended Best Practice. It is believed that these activities, when employed in an integrated manner, could effectively accelerate the maturation of new Manufacturing Technologies, and reduce the risk associated with implementation.

This paper investigates the emerging term mission engineering through the framework of systems engineering and systems integration. Systems engineering concepts, processes, and methodologies are extrapolated for use in conjunction with a systems integration, life-cycle based framework to effect mission engineering. The specific systems engineering concepts of measures of effectiveness, performance and suitability are recommended as foundational to establishing mission-engineering processes to satisfy mission user requirements, and ultimately provide a context for definition of mission engineering.

This paper investigates the emerging term mission engineering through the framework of systems engineering and systems integration. Systems engineering concepts, processes, and methodologies are extrapolated for use in conjunction with a systems integration, life-cycle based framework to effect mission engineering. The specific systems engineering concepts of measures of effectiveness, performance and suitability are recommended as foundational to establishing mission-engineering processes to satisfy mission user requirements, and ultimately provide a context for definition of mission engineering.

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Systems engineering (SE) discipline has revolutionized the way engineers and managers think about solving issues related to design of complex systems: With continued development of state-of-the-art technologies, systems are becoming more complex and therefore, a systematic approach is essential to control and manage their integrated design and development. This complexity is driven from integration issues. In this case, subsystems must interact with one another in order to achieve integration objectives, and also achieve the overall system's required performance. Systems engineering process addresses these issues at multiple levels. It is a technology and management process dedicated to controlling all aspects of system life cycle to assure integration at all levels. The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) project serves as the systems engineering and integration function for the Human Support Technology (HST) program. AIM provides means for integrated test facilities and personnel for performance trade studies, analyses, integrated models, test results, and validated requirements of the integration of HST. The goal of AIM is to address systems-level integration issues for exploration missions. It will use an incremental systems integration approach to yield technologies, baselines for further development, and possible breakthrough concepts in the areas of technological and organizational interfaces, total information flow, system wide controls, technical synergism, mission operations protocols and procedures, and human-machine interfaces.

Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) is a critical discipline in developing new space systems. In 2005, NASA performed an internal study of 24 agency and Department of Defense (DoD) programs to evaluate methods of integrating SE&I practices and determine their effectiveness. The goal of the study was to determine the best SE&I implementation strategy for the Ares Projects Office. The study identified six SE&I organizational structures: 1. Lead systems integrator (LSI) with SE&I responsibility and government technical insight. 2a. Integration contractor with government SE&I responsibility (government insight). 2b. Integration contractor with government SE&I responsibility (government oversight). 3a. Prime contractor with SE&I responsibility (government insight). 3b. Prime contractor with SE&I responsibility (government oversight). 3c. Prime contractor with SE&I responsibility (government/industry partnership). 4a.Prime contractor with government SE&I responsibility (government insight). 4b. Prime contractor with government SE&I responsibility (government oversight). 4d.Prime contractors with total system performance responsibility (TSPR). 5. Prime contractor with government SE&I responsibility and integration products through a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). 6. Government/FFRDC in-house development with SE&I responsibility and function. The organizational structure used most often was number 4, using a prime contractor with government SE&I responsibility and government technical insight. However, data analyses did not establish a positive relationship between program development costs and specific SE&I organizational types, nor did it positively determine the relationship between successful programs or projects and their SE&I structure. The SE&I study reached the following conclusions: (1) Large, long-duration, technically complex programs or projects reach their technical goals, but rarely meet schedule or cost goals. NASA's recent successes have been smaller, short-duration development projects using heritage hardware/software, focused technology development, technical oversight and stable external factors. (2) Programs and projects have failed or been terminated due to lack of technical insight, relaxing of SE&I processes, and unstable external factors. (3) The study did not find a single, clear optimum SE&I organization type to fit all projects. However, while any organizational structure can be made to work, the fewer complexities in the program, the better the likelihood of success. (4) The most common successful SE&I organization structure type in the study was type 4b, where the government maintained integration responsibility, with the prime contractor providing SE&I products and the government providing technical oversight. This study was instrumental in helping the APO select organization structure 4, following the same SE&I and oversight process used during humanlund7s last voyages to the Moon.

This thesis proposes a system of systems (SoS) engineering and integration (SoSE&I) process and provides a use case for a network transport analysis that is tailored to an information technology (IT) network. The purpose of the process is to identify the capabilities required for the transport and provide a framework for analysis, test, and implementation to ensure that the network IT system supports the user requirements for the overall SoS. The thesis then details a Navy use case through the steps of the proposed process and provides example steps and criteria for the assessment. Prior research on SoS architectures was leveraged in developing the proposed process and tailored to support IT network challenges. The thesis makes recommendations to prioritize capabilities, to implement capability-based quality of service (QoS), to have a detailed understanding of applications for the correlation of application to capability, to continuously monitor IT networks to ensure satisfactory performance with new applications or user behavior, and to ensure governance is applied through the process to ensure oversight of design and tradeoff decisions for network throughput analyses.

Analysis of simulations required to support systems engineering and integration procedures for development of space shuttle

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

The Naval Postgraduate School's first CubeSat, the NPS Solar Cell Array Tester (NPS-SCAT), demonstrates the capability of the CubeSat form factor as a technology test bed by implementing a single experiment--a solar cell tester. The need to validate solar cell performance on orbit, in the harsh space environment, is recurring with the continued development of advanced, untested solar cells. By using a relatively inexpensive platform, the CubeSat, such solar cells can be tested and the risk for larger satellites mitigated with this experiment. This thesis discusses the design and construction process of the solar cell array tester payload along with its integration with the remaining satellite subsystems (command and data handling subsystem, communications subsystem, and electrical power subsystem) including the problems encountered along the way and the chosen solutions. In addition, the systems engineering and testing procedures developed for and conducted on the satellite engineering design unit will be described in detail.

This thesis describes a framework upon which programs, particularly those identified as engaging in rapid acquisition, can compare themselves to determine if the adoption of a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach might be feasible. The research was established as a case study of several defense acquisition programs that are using MBSE as part of their software development process by providing a background for those programs being evaluated, then delving into their individual MBSE processes to identify the principal elements that added the most value in terms of delivering a suitable and effective product expediently. After completing the characterization of the MBSE approaches, an assessment of a sample target program was conducted, exercising the framework developed. The research indicates that while the implementation of MBSE can require additional effort during the initial development stages, the demonstrated benefits typically outweigh the extra upfront burden by reducing the overall design cycle time and improving the validation and verification activities. An in-depth mapping of the upfront MBSE work required would provide additional engineering rationale to justify the programmatic investment for implementing an MBSE approach.

The Architecture, Habitability & Integration group (AH&I) is a system engineering and integration test team within the NASA Crew and Thermal Systems Division (CTSD) at Johnson Space Center. AH&I identifies and resolves system-level integration issues within the research and technology development community. The timely resolution of these integration issues is fundamental to the development of human system requirements and exploration capability. The integration of the many individual components necessary to construct an artificial environment is difficult. The necessary interactions between individual components and systems must be approached in a piece-wise fashion to achieve repeatable results. A formal systems engineering (SE) approach to define, develop, and integrate quality systems within the life support community has been developed. This approach will allow a Research & Technology Program to systematically approach the development, management, and quality of technology deliverables to the various exploration missions. A tiered system engineering structure has been proposed to implement best systems engineering practices across all development levels from basic research to working assemblies. These practices will be implemented through a management plan across all applicable programs, projects, elements and teams. While many of the engineering practices are common to other industries, the implementation is specific to technology development. An accounting of the systems engineering management philosophy will be discussed and the associated programmatic processes will be presented.

Space Transportation Avionics hardware and software cost has traditionally been estimated in Phase A and B using cost techniques which predict cost as a function of various cost predictive variables such as weight, lines of code, functions to be performed, quantities of test hardware, quantities of flight hardware, design and development heritage, complexity, etc. The output of such analyses has been life cycle costs, economic benefits and related data. The major objectives of Cost Estimation and Benefits analysis are twofold: (1) to play a role in the evaluation of potential new space transportation avionics technologies, and (2) to benefit from emerging technological innovations. Both aspects of cost estimation and technology are discussed here. The role of cost analysis in the evaluation of potential technologies should be one of offering additional quantitative and qualitative information to aid decision-making. The cost analyses process needs to be fully integrated into the design process in such a way that cost trades, optimizations and sensitivities are understood. Current hardware cost models tend to primarily use weights, functional specifications, quantities, design heritage and complexity as metrics to predict cost. Software models mostly use functionality, volume of code, heritage and complexity as cost descriptive variables. Basic research needs to be initiated to develop metrics more responsive to the trades which are required for future launch vehicle avionics systems. These would include cost estimating capabilities that are sensitive to technological innovations such as improved materials and fabrication processes, computer aided design and manufacturing, self checkout and many others. In addition to basic cost estimating improvements, the process must be sensitive to the fact that no cost estimate can be quoted without also quoting a confidence associated with the estimate. In order to achieve this, better cost risk evaluation techniques are needed as well as improved usage of risk data by decision-makers. More and better ways to display and communicate cost and cost risk to management are required.

In order to develop the new generation of avionics which will be necessary for upcoming programs such as the Lunar/Mars Initiative, Advanced Launch System, and the National Aerospace Plane, new Advanced Avionics Laboratories are required. To minimize costs and maximize benefits, these laboratories should be capable of supporting multiple avionics development efforts at a single location, and should be of a common design to support and encourage data sharing. Recent technological advances provide the capability of letting the designer or analyst perform simulations and testing in an environment similar to his engineering environment and these features should be incorporated into the new laboratories. Existing and emerging hardware and software standards must be incorporated wherever possible to provide additional cost savings and compatibility. Special care must be taken to design the laboratories such that real-time hardware-in-the-loop performance is not sacrificed in the pursuit of these goals. A special program-independent funding source should be identified for the development of Advanced Avionics Laboratories as resources supporting a wide range of upcoming NASA programs.

Systems engineering decision algorithm related to Apollo Applications Program integration problems

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

TARDEC's mission is to conduct full service life cycle engineering support to the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command and the Program Executive Offices associated with it, for all DoD ground vehicle system acquisition and life cycle management. The TARDEC Systems Engineering Group is constantly looking for systems engineering methods, tools and procedures (MPT) to support this mission. TARDEC has found that many systems engineers from the automobile industry have significant experience in systems engineering (SE), but lack experience in some of the competencies deemed critical to systems engineering in the DoD workforce. This research will identify the differences between education needs of system engineers in both industry and the DoD workforce, and develop methods, processes and tools to address the shortfalls in educating SEs in the DoD workforce.

ITT Systems and Sciences Corporation (formerly Kaman Sciences) worked with the Defense Special Weapons Agency between February 1991 and March 1998, to develop the DECADE Facility. Decade is a DoD aboveground x-ray simulator located at Arnold Engineering Development Center, TN, and designed to test components for performance in harsh radiation environments such as those produced by nuclear weapons. ITT's role in DECADE was Systems Integration and Engineering Support. This included program management, test and evaluation support, user training development, and facility documentation. ITT supported the DECADE Program Management Office at HQ DSWA in the integration of five facility components: two buildings (considered a single element), the simulator (including all subsystems and associated equipment), the user data acquisition systems for testing, the shielded enclosure screen rooms (separated from the building element), and the safety and security system. ITT supported integration of all systems, focusing on form, fit, function, cost, and schedule. Subject to extensive technical risk reduction efforts by the simulator contractor and supporting technical community, Decade was still in development at the completion of this contract. A downscaled version of the simulator was being installed in the completed test structure with expectation of initial operating condition in FY 1999.

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI(Service Mark)) models have evolved the Capability Maturity Model (CMM(registered)) concept, established by the Capability Maturity Model for Software (SW-CMM), to a new level that enables the continued growth and expansion of the CMM concept to multiple disciplines. Like the SW-CMM, EIA/IS 731, IPD-CMM, and other process improvement models, CMMI models are tools that help organizations improve their processes. This CMMI model is designed to help organizations improve their product and service development, acquisition, and maintenance processes. Concepts covered by this model include systems engineering, software engineering, and integrated product and process development as well as traditional CMM concepts such as process management and project management. Each CMMI model is designed to be used in concert with other CMMI models, making it easier for organizations to pursue enterprise-wide process improvement at their own pace. This CMMI model has a staged representation, which focuses on measuring process improvement using maturity levels. Maturity levels apply to process-improvement achievement across the organizational unit using the model.

TARDEC's mission is to conduct full service life cycle engineering support to the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command and the Program Executive Offices associated with it, for all DoD ground vehicle system acquisition and life cycle management. The TARDEC Systems Engineering Group is constantly looking for systems engineering methods, tools and procedures (MPT) to support this mission. TARDEC has found that many systems engineers from the automobile industry have significant experience in systems engineering (SE), but lack experience in some of the competencies deemed critical to systems engineering in the DoD workforce. This research will identify the differences between education needs of system engineers in both industry and the DoD workforce, and develop methods, processes and tools to address the shortfalls in educating SEs in the DoD workforce. This is a final report summarizing work done in the phase 5 of the project on Vehicle Systems Engineering and Integration Activities.

The objective of this capstone project was to build a simulated system using the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System/Defense Acquisition System (JCIDS/DAS) process to gain insight into JCIDS/DAS as it relates to unmanned robotics systems. JCIDS and DAS are the Department of Defenses procedures and guidelines for acquiring military programs. Using JCIDS/DAS and system engineering (SE) methodology, the team developed a radiological clearance system (RCS) and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) using LEGO MINSTORMS. The UGV was named the Threat Exposure and Clearing Hardware Manipulated Autonomously or Networked (TECHMAN). The team researched UGVs, software platforms and the JCIDS /DAS regulations to tailor an SE approach in designing and building the TECHMAN robot, starting with the mission needs and requirements followed by system architecture development. The team tested and evaluated two TECHMAN systems. One system was teleoperated and the other was autonomous. The team compared the test results and other system attributes of the two platforms. The knowledge gained from the project results was used to provide insight into the JCIDS/DAS process with regard to procurement of robotics systems.

The purpose of this project was to provide systems engineering Support to the Force XXI design and integration effort of the Battle Labs Integration and Technology Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Combat Developments (BLIT-CD) and the Future Doctrine Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Doctrine ,(FUTURE-DOC) at Training and Doctrine Command Headquarters. To scope the Force XXI design effort, we identified the needs, objectives, and criteria 0 Force XXI from a systems viewpoint. Effective needs are critical because the definition of a successful design effort is meeting or exceeding the effective needs of the client or stakeholder group in a cost-effective, high-quality way. So the effective needs must answer the question, "Why are we redesigning the Army to Force XXI?" Five statements drawn with some modification from TRADOC Pamphlet 525-5, in our opinion, answer this question. They are: I. To be trained and ready to win the first land battle with fewer, more economical but more capable forces. 2. To be rapidly tailorable, rapidly expansible, strategically deployable, and effectively employable as part of a joint and multinational team to achieve decisive results in future war and other operations in all environments. 3. To win simultaneous operations against foes of varying capabilities. 4. To find innovative ways to apply and combine current and new technologies, especially information technologies, for warfighting. 5. To win tactical battles quickly and decisively by maximizing information and combat power to dominate the battlespace.

The Integrated Survivability System Integration Laboratory (ISSIL) developed at the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Command (TARDEC) is a tool which enables and enhances the integration of Soldier survivability technology suites. TARDEC utilized the ISSIL to bridge the gap between concept and realization of the survivability demonstrator vehicle built on MTV 1083 A1P2 platform. The ISSIL was a critical tool for enabling the integration of mechanical, electrical, data, and networking components as well as for validating the system integration through Soldier usability trials. This paper describes how the ISSIL advanced the RDECOMs comprehensive systems engineering process throughout the modeling, analysis, design, development and testing of the demonstrator vehicle.

Dreamers may envision our future, but it is the pragmatists who build it. Solve the right problem in the right way, mankind moves forward. Solve the right problem in the wrong way or the wrong problem in the right way, however clever or ingenious the solution, neither credits mankind. Instead, this misfire demonstrates a failure to appreciate a crucial step in pragmatic problem solving: systems integration. The first book to address the underlying premises of systems integration and how to exposit them in a practical and productive manner, Engineering Systems Integration: Theory, Metrics, and Methods looks at the fundamental nature of integration, exposes the subtle premises to achieve integration, and posits a substantial theoretical framework that is both simple and clear. Offering systems managers and systems engineers the framework from which to consider their decisions in light of systems integration metrics, the book isolates two basic questions, 1) Is there a way to express the interplay of human actions and the result of system interactions of a product with its environment?, and 2) Are there methods that combine to improve the integration of systems? The author applies the four axioms of General Systems Theory (holism, decomposition, isomorphism, and models) and explores the domains of history and interpretation to devise a theory of systems integration, develop practical guidance applying the three frameworks, and formulate the mathematical constructs needed for systems integration. The practicalities of integrating parts when we build or analyze systems mandate an analysis and evaluation of existing integrative frameworks of causality and knowledge. Integration is not just a word that describes a best practice, an art, or a single discipline. The act of integrating is an approach, operative in all disciplines, in all we see, in all we do.

SIREO_Burgundy_Systems Integration Opportunities in Re-engineering

TARDEC's mission is to conduct full service life cycle engineering support to the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command and the Program Executive Offices associated with it, for all DoD ground vehicle system acquisition and life cycle management. The TARDEC Systems Engineering Group is constantly looking for systems engineering methods, tools and procedures (MPT) to support this mission. TARDEC has found that many systems engineers from the automobile industry have significant experience in systems engineering (SE), but lack experience in some of the competencies deemed critical to systems engineering in the DoD workforce. This research will identify the differences between education needs of system engineers in both industry and the DoD workforce, and develop methods, processes and tools to address the shortfalls in educating SEs in the DoD workforce. This report summarizes work done in the phase 4 of the project on Vehicle Systems Engineering and Integration Activities - Phase 4

TARDEC's mission is to conduct full service life cycle engineering support to the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command and the Program Executive Offices associated with it, for all DoD ground vehicle system acquisition and life cycle management. The TARDEC Systems Engineering Group is constantly looking for systems engineering methods, tools and procedures (MPT) to support this mission. TARDEC has found that many systems engineers from the automobile industry have significant experience in systems engineering (SE), but lack experience in some of the competencies deemed critical to systems engineering in the DoD workforce. This research will identify the differences between education needs of system engineers in both industry and the DoD workforce, and develop methods, processes and tools to address the shortfalls in educating SEs in the DoD workforce. This report summarizes work done in the phase 4 of the project on Vehicle Systems Engineering and Integration Activities - Phase 4

At a time when many companies are under pressure to reduce "times-to-market" the management of product information from the early stages of design through assembly to manufacture and production has become increasingly important. Similarly in the construction of high energy physics devices the collection of (often evolving) engineering data is central to the subsequent physics analysis. Traditionally in industry design engineers have employed Engineering Data Management Systems (also called Product Data Management Systems) to coordinate and control access to documented versions of product designs. However, these systems provide control only at the collaborative design level and are seldom used beyond design. Workflow management systems, on the other hand, are employed in industry to coordinate and support the more complex and repeatable work processes of the production environment. Commercial workflow products cannot support the highly dynamic activities found both in the design stages of product development and in rapidly evolving workflow definitions. The integration of Product Data Management with Workflow Management can provide support for product development from initial CAD/CAM collaborative design through to the support and optimisation of production workflow activities. This paper investigates this integration and proposes a philosophy for the support of product data throughout the full development and production lifecycle and demonstrates its usefulness in the construction of CMS detectors.

The Center for Ground Vehicle Development and Integration (CGVDI) is a U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) capability responsible for design, fabrication, integration, and support of additional capabilities for fielded systems as well as overall project management. CGVDI provides customers a single office that coordinates activities across the U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) to conduct the complete spectrum of activities required to support Project Management Offices with design, development, integration, and testing of ground systems to meet the needs of the Warfighter. To better serve the organizations and programs supported by CGVDI, the TARDEC Systems Engineering Group worked to infuse Systems Engineering (SE) processes into CGVDI standard operating procedures as a way to effectively meet project cost, schedule, risk, and performance goals.

Tour by the Cx Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) Program Manager of the Ares 1-X manufacturing facilities

Systems integration (SI) is an extensive task conducted as part of the bottoms-up systems engineering (SE) lifecycle approach. Implementation of a newly developed system depends on successful accomplishment of systems integration. Complexities of system design solutions are making SI success more difficult to achieve; integration failures have become more common and tend to drive costly redesign efforts. This research explores some of the integration failures and causes and proposes SE developmental phase considerations regarding requirements, stakeholders, testing, and system boundaries. Additionally, this thesis discusses use of systems architecture frameworks and models and the consistent use of model-based systems engineering throughout development. Lastly, it proposes formal methods language for improving models. This research describes how all of these solutions can facilitate identifying and resolving common SI failures prior to the completion of system development. By doing so, the success of the integration effort and the system as a whole is ensured.

Space Transportation Avionics hardware and software cost has traditionally been estimated in Phase A and B using cost techniques which predict cost as a function of various cost predictive variables such as weight, lines of code, functions to be performed, quantities of test hardware, quantities of flight hardware, design and development heritage, complexity, etc. The output of such analyses has been life cycle costs, economic benefits and related data. The major objectives of Cost Estimation and Benefits analysis are twofold: (1) to play a role in the evaluation of potential new space transportation avionics technologies, and (2) to benefit from emerging technological innovations. Both aspects of cost estimation and technology are discussed here. The role of cost analysis in the evaluation of potential technologies should be one of offering additional quantitative and qualitative information to aid decision-making. The cost analyses process needs to be fully integrated into the design process in such a way that cost trades, optimizations and sensitivities are understood. Current hardware cost models tend to primarily use weights, functional specifications, quantities, design heritage and complexity as metrics to predict cost. Software models mostly use functionality, volume of code, heritage and complexity as cost descriptive variables. Basic research needs to be initiated to develop metrics more responsive to the trades which are required for future launch vehicle avionics systems. These would include cost estimating capabilities that are sensitive to technological innovations such as improved materials and fabrication processes, computer aided design and manufacturing, self checkout and many others. In addition to basic cost estimating improvements, the process must be sensitive to the fact that no cost estimate can be quoted without also quoting a confidence associated with the estimate. In order to achieve this, better cost risk evaluation techniques are needed as well as improved usage of risk data by decision-makers. More and better ways to display and communicate cost and cost risk to management are required.

The systems engineering technical processes are not sufficiently supported by methods and tools that quantitatively integrate human considerations into early system design. Because of this, engineers must often rely on qualitative judgments or delay critical decisions until late in the system lifecycle. Studies reveal that this is likely to result in cost, schedule, and performance consequences. This dissertation presents a methodology to improve the application of systems engineering technical processes for design. This methodology is mathematically rigorous, is grounded in relevant theory, and applies extant human subjects data to critical systems development challenges. The methodology is expressed in four methods that support early systems engineering activities: a requirements elicitation method, a function allocation method, an input device design method, and a display layout design method. These form a coherent approach to early system development. Each method is separately discussed and demonstrated using a prototypical system development program. In total, this original and significant work has a broad range of systems engineer applicability to improve the engineering of human systems integration.

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI(Service Mark)) models have evolved the Capability Maturity Model (CMM(registered)) concept, established by the Capability Maturity Model for Software (SW-CMM), to a new level that enables the continued growth and expansion of the CMM concept to multiple disciplines. Like the SW-CMM, EIA/IS 731, IPD-CMM, and other process improvement models, CMMI models are tools that help organizations improve their processes. This CMMI model is designed to help organizations improve their product and service development, acquisition, and maintenance processes. Concepts covered by this model include systems engineering and software engineering as well as traditional CMM concepts such as process management and project management. Each CMMI model is designed to be used in concert with other CMMI models, making it easier for organizations to pursue enterprise-wide process improvement at their own pace. This CMMI model has a staged representation, which focuses on measuring process improvement using maturity levels. Maturity levels apply to process-improvement achievement across the organizational unit using the model.

The Naval Postgraduate School's first CubeSat, the NPS Solar Cell Array Tester (NPS-SCAT), demonstrates the capability of the CubeSat form factor as a technology test bed by implementing a single experiment-a solar cell tester. The need to validate solar cell performance on orbit, in the harsh space environment, is recurring with the continued development of advanced, untested solar cells. By using a relatively inexpensive platform, the CubeSat, such solar cells can be tested and the risk for larger satellites mitigated with this experiment. This thesis discusses the design and construction process of the solar cell array tester payload along with its integration with the remaining satellite subsystems (command and data handling subsystem, communications subsystem, and electrical power subsystem) including the problems encountered along the way and the chosen solutions. In addition, the systems engineering and testing procedures developed for and conducted on the satellite engineering design unit will be described in detail.

The Naval Postgraduate School's first CubeSat, the NPS Solar Cell Array Tester (NPS-SCAT), demonstrates the capability of the CubeSat form factor as a technology test bed by implementing a single experiment-a solar cell tester. The need to validate solar cell performance on orbit, in the harsh space environment, is recurring with the continued development of advanced, untested solar cells. By using a relatively inexpensive platform, the CubeSat, such solar cells can be tested and the risk for larger satellites mitigated with this experiment. This thesis discusses the design and construction process of the solar cell array tester payload along with its integration with the remaining satellite subsystems (command and data handling subsystem, communications subsystem, and electrical power subsystem) including the problems encountered along the way and the chosen solutions. In addition, the systems engineering and testing procedures developed for and conducted on the satellite engineering design unit will be described in detail.

This research explores the integration of the Constructive Systems Engineering Cost Model (COSYSMO) into early modeling efforts for the Department of Defense (DOD). Initial acquisition decisions influence the analysis and design of systems engineers, who face an increasingly complex and dynamic environment with significant impact on system life-cycle decisions and cost. This work utilizes a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach and the systems modeling language (SysML) to highlight the sharing of system model data with COSYSMO to provide an estimate of systems engineering costs. The document highlights the proposed methods compliance to cost estimation techniques, adherence and support to pre-Milestone A requirements of the DOD acquisitions process, and links to the Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DODAF). Application and documentation of the authors methods include a commonly used humanitarian aid effort scenario that incorporates traditional systems functional analysis of a single water distiller. The works results demonstrate an ability for automated and semi-automated integration with COSYSMO from the system model in a web-based tool, conclude with challenges associated with external cost model integration, and suggest future areas of continued refinement and extensions. A starting point for an ensemble of models to enhance DOD cost estimation practices results from the techniques.

This paper will discuss three mission operations functions that are illustrative of the key principles of operations SE&I and of the processes and products involved. The flight systems process was selected to illustrate the role of the systems product line in developing the depth and cross disciplinary skills needed for SE&I and providing the foundation for dialogue between participating elements. FDDD was selected to illustrate the need for a structured process to assure that SE&I provides complete and accurate results that consistently support program needs. The flight director's role in mission operations was selected to illustrate the complexity of the risk/gain tradeoffs involved in the development of the flight techniques and flight rules process as well as the absolute importance of the leadership role in developing the technical, operational, and political trades.