Miniature Seeker Technology Integration Spacecraft

Overview

This case describes the Miniature Seeker Technology Integration (MSTI) project which was a partnership with Phillips Laboratories, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Spectrum Astro. This is an aerospace example for a satellite application.

Domain Background

There are many aerospace systems engineering examples. This spacecraft was one of the first of its kind, a rapid development spacecraft, designed and launched in one year.

Analysis of Case Study

This thirty-page case study was developed in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Program and Project Management Initiative by authors at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Scientific Management, Inc.

Case Study Description

In the MSTI project, meeting the schedule was a crucial factor that affected all decisions. At each design phase, the whole system was optimized instead of optimizing subsystems. MSTI went into orbit on November 21, 1992. The MSTI-1 succeeded in meeting all primary mission objectives, surpassing the 6-day data collection mission requirement.

Key practices for the project included: reducing the level of optimizing at the subsystem level, taking advantage of existing hardware architectures, daily meetings, electronic PFR approach, collocating QA with the team early, encouraging ownership of work, REA's responsible for looking forward on the project horizon, streamlined decision process, information sharing, role sharing, shared responsibility in every function, schedule maintained at a high level, partners shared and communicated a common vision, people on the team sharing more end-to-end responsibility. These link to the SEBoK sections on system architecture, technical management, and enabling systems engineering in teams.

Summary

The MSTI experience changed JPL's culture and their approach to spacecraft development and mission management. Faster procurement developed into an approach JPL now calls "Fast Track Procurement." MSTI demonstrated that an aggressive schedule can be used to design low earth-orbiting spacecraft to optimize the full system.

References

• Grenville, Delia, Brian M. Kleiner, John F. Newcomb, “M.S.T.I., Optimizing the Whole System,” Virginia Polytechnic Institute, case study developed in support of the NASA Program and Project Management Initiative, 27 pages, accessed on 06/03/11 at, http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/293212main_58529main_msti_casestudy_042604.pdf.

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration, “A Catalog of NASA-Related Case Studies,” Compiled by the Office of the Chief Knowledge Officer, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Version 1.6, Published January 2011, Accessed on 06/03/11 at, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/pdf/450420main_NASA_Case_Study_Catalog.pdf.

Citations

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Primary References

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Additional References

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Article Discussion

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