Hardware Development Tool Stack IAC-17,D3,4,7,x40657 The Hardware Development Tool Stack For Future Space Exploration Simon Vanden Bussche, Marco Witzmann, Louise Lindblad

Document Based Engineering The Problem Document Based Engineering 1950s Challenge: Complex Spacecraft + Many Engineers  Solution: Documents (inconsistent) 2017 More Complex Spacecraft + Many Engineers across companies/countries (now written on PC instead of typewriter; still inconsistent) Future Space Exploration ?

2 Dimensions of Dependencies and Interactions The Problem 2 Dimensions of Dependencies and Interactions STATE OF THE ART Challenges within one Discipline Challenges in Interdisciplinary Interactions

Classical Model Based Systems Engineering = The Answer? MBSE Classical Model Based Systems Engineering = The Answer? Discussed in academia since 1990s Application today only useful in CDF studies (Phase A, B1) Model-based = storing the data in a model many models/implementations don‘t prevent inconsistency (total mass ≠ all masses)  After early studies, the models are abandonned 15+ years later, ESA still has to pay companies* to apply MBSE. Benefit? “A fully operational MBSE process with a corresponding tool set has not yet been realized in space projects today.” (Eisenmann et. al. 2009) There is a “lack of perceived value of MBSE” (Motamedian 2013) “MBSE needs significant evolution for interoperability significantly for a ‘plug and play’ of different tools.” (Eisenmann et. al. 2015) *http://blogs.esa.int/cleanspace/2017/08/28/applyingmbse-to-a-space-mission/

Proposed Alternative Solution A Possible Alternative Proposed Alternative Solution Software Stack: „In computing, a solution stack or software stack is a set of software subsystems or components needed to create a complete platform such that no additional software is needed to support applications.”* Proposal for Hardware Development Tools Stack: „A set of complementary software tools that allow engineers to collaboratively develop complex hardware.“ MBSE =„perfect model first“ (top down)  browser-based = „solving problems first“ (bottom up) *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution_stack

Tools in the Web-Browser Why browser-based? Concurrency Real-time, concurrent access to data for all users Data-Consistency by Design: “Single Source of Truth” (contrary to file-based systems) User-friendly with short learning curve Tools can interact without user intervention Data driven Information is stored, processed and made available as data (not text) Allows for access, search, filter, sort, calculations, re-use etc. Proprietary, non-standardized models are better than no models at all („hidden MBSE“) Standardized APIs (e.g. REST)

proposed Toolstack Are there enough good browser-based engineering tools? An example Tool Stack: Requirements engineering Computer Aided Design (CAD) Calculation Simulation Software engineering Testing Verification and quality management Data management Documentation and reporting Internal and external communication Project management

Collaborative CAD Example 1: Onshape

Collaborative Data Example 2: Valispace

Interoperability Most web-based tools implement „REST“-API How to connect? Interoperability Most web-based tools implement „REST“-API Allows for automatic read-, write-, list-, update- and delete-functionality Many vendors build tool-integrations themselves (e.g. Onshape  Simscale) Some vendors allow users / other vendors to build integrations (e.g. Slack) Dedicated services exist, to combine web-tools (e.g. IFTTT) Current situation Today interoperability („the glue“) between many apps and their models still has to be provided by hand With bigger adoption, more and more integrations are provided by the vendors (e.g. Slack has >1.000 tool integrations)

Potential - thanks to connected tools Visions of What comes next Potential - thanks to connected tools Example for possible automatic change management: Engineer moves board computer in CAD to other position Triggers: Recalculation of mass properties of Spacecraft Triggers: Re-simulation of fuel consumption over one orbit Triggers: Warning that spacecraft lifetime is now below the requirement Example for possible automatic design optimization: Engineering data is connected through formulas and models Visualization of transferfunctions and sensitivity between values (e.g. oscillator accuracy vs. pointing) Running optimzation on connected spacecraft data (e.g. optimize for total mass)  example use of GPKit optimization on data stored in browserbased software: NORHEIM 2017: IAC- 17,D1,4A,x41490

How to best solve collaborative engineering problems? Conclusions How to best solve collaborative engineering problems? Data & Model needed  YES classical MBSE‘s top-down approach?  has not brought the expected results Great browser-based engineering tools with „hidden MBSE“ exists bottom-up integration Future Space Exploration will need great & interconnected tools. A well selected browser-based tool stack will enable disruptive small and established big teams to collaboratively design complex spacecraft in the future.

excel_is_not_enough_to_build_satellites_v2_reviewed-final_3 excel_is_not_enough_to_build_satellites_v2_reviewed-final_3.xls simon@valispace.com marco@valispace.com louise@valispace.com www.valispace.com