1. 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

2. 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 ?

3. 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

4. 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) *

5. 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) *

6. 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)

7. 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

8. Collaborative CAD
Example 1: Onshape

9. Collaborative Data
Example 2: Valispace

10. 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 > tool integrations)

11. 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

12. 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.

13. excel_is_not_enough_to_build_satellites_v2_reviewed-final_3
excel_is_not_enough_to_build_satellites_v2_reviewed-final_3.xls