DR&PAP Design Rules and Product Assurance Processes for future telecom

  • Status
    Completed
  • Status date
    2019-12-16
  • Activity Code
    1B.117
Objectives

In this context the design and quality rules shall evolve taking inspiration on other industrial sectors, and in line with the level of quality space sector requires. On the design rules, approaches consists in evaluating the impacts of margin accumulation, the real uncertainties issued from flight experience and the validation approach where the research of envelop and accumulation of aggression can be detrimental to design and costs.

On quality side, component selection approach is probably the most promising area of cost reduction with possibility to use COTS components produced for automotive/transport and aerospace sectors. The space sector needs progressively to modify parts selection techniques, while guarantying an adequate level of reliability and availability for satellite constellations. This approach cannot be separated from radiation hardening techniques, specific from space applications and necessary to launch into space ground product such as 3E COTS.

Challenges

Transferring processes from ground to space industry is not straightforward since, in space, mission survival is of essence with limited observables and no possibility to repair. The space environment is also a challenge, mainly at the level of radiation. 

Benefits

The evolutions of design rules will optimize the design of the satellite bringing more performance for a given mass and cost, and vice versa. The main outcome in the area of processes is reduction of cost and schedule of satellite production and integration.

Features

Evolution of Design Rules and Product Assurance Processes do not bring a new satellite products, but will help new satellite products to become technically more performing, shorter to produce and less expensive at the end.

System Architecture

No evolution proposed on the satellite architectures

Plan

The study followed this logic:

  • Task#1 was devoted to the current practices in Thales Alenia Space
  • Task#2 focussed on the design rules in satellite system and architectural design. IVV developed in front of satellite engineering is also assessed.
  • Task#3 focused on three main subjects:
    • Parts selection and associated radiation and RAMs policy.
    • New general guideline for Electronics Engineering better suited to megaconstellations and future GEO requirements.
    • AIT production processes with introduction of automation and new digital tools.

Task#4 synthetized the different recommendations on core subjects.

Current status

The final review has been held on 26th October 2019.