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Systems Analysis Lecture by Bernd Chudoba |
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Date: July 25, 2006
Time: 2:30-4:30pm
Location: NASA Langley Research Center, Building 1209, Room 180
Additional Information: Bio | Presentation (PDF)
Generic Aerospace Product & Mission Life-Cycle Development - A Proposed Standard
Bernd Chudoba, University of Texas at Arlington
Space exploration kick-started with the Apollo-era expendable transportation system, transitioned rapidly towards the first generation of a partially reusable Space Shuttle, saw the rise and demise of the Venture Star single-stage-to-orbit project, and is now taking a turn back to an Apollo style CEV/CLV architecture today. Space transportation, thus space exploration, remains in its pioneering stages. The current expendable space launchers are like the 1850's Conestoga Wagons - both were launched on their respective missions but only one is on record to have returned. Most wagons were building materials for a new start in the West. This problem was solved in the American West with the introduction of the transcontinental railroad in 1860. This undertaking required not only a great effort but substantial government support. The railroad spawned numerous entrepreneurial activities never envisioned while under construction. What might this century bring if we had a 'railroad to space' that embodied the characteristics of the transcontinental undertaking? The X-33 & Venture Star projects were one attempt to achieve the characteristics of that transcontinental railroad. The Space Shuttle fleet is nearing retirement whereby the CEV/CLV architecture represents a radical departure from the Shuttle configuration concept and overall philosophy to enable the next step?
Still, the challenge with space exploration, today, remains the development of a transportation system for continuous use, maintenance and operation on a fixed schedule despite weather or environmental hazards that moves payloads not only into space but back again. Such rollercoaster trying attempts getting into space with style are no surprise given the fact that the "Space Age" started barely half a century ago. Despite the choice of particular space mission architectures, this presentation will propose and discuss a first-of-its-kind generic standard to design. Clearly, it is the ultimate responsibility of the management and design team to reliably explore the entire life-cycle of a prospective architecture from 'cradle to grave'. Focus has to be on correctness rather than accuracy to identify a trust-worthy solution space while offering an overall proof of design convergence. It seems that this is a rather desirable investment given the costly success and failure rate seen throughout our young space age.
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