Elegant space systems: How do we get there?

Alejandro Salado, Roshanak Nilchiani

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    2 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Can the space industry produce elegant systems? If so, how? Space systems development has become process-centric, e.g., process creation or modification is the default response to most development and/or operations challenges when problems are encountered. But is that really effective? An increasing number of researchers and practitioners disagree with such an approach and suggest that elegance is as important to a system and its operation as fulfillment of technical and contractual requirements; consequently they are proposing a review and refreshment of the systems engineering practice. Elegance is generally recognizable, but hard to achieve deterministically. The research community has begun an endeavor to define what elegance is in systems engineering terms, find ways to measure or at least characterize it, and create or adapt philosophies and methodologies that promote elegance as a design objective (driver?). This paper asserts that while elegance cannot be engineered in a traditional sense, it can emerge as a natural result of design activity. This needs to be enabled and can be facilitated, but ultimately depends on the talent of the design teams as individuals and as a group. This paper summarizes existing technical definitions of elegance and discusses a) how it can be pursued and b) cultural conditions and habits that help elegance emerge during the development and operation of a space system.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2013
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2013
    Event2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2013 - Big Sky, MT, United States
    Duration: 2 Mar 20139 Mar 2013

    Publication series

    NameIEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings
    ISSN (Print)1095-323X

    Conference

    Conference2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference, AERO 2013
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CityBig Sky, MT
    Period2/03/139/03/13

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