A Responsive Satellite Industry for Responsive and Timely Delivered Satellite Systems

Dr. ing. Marco Lisi 21st Ka and Broadband Communications Conference Bologna, October 12-14, 2015

Summary

• The increasing complexity of satellite systems and the requirements of forthcoming space programs, asking for large number of spacecraft’s to be produced at very high data rates, suggest a radical paradigm shift in the way the space business is conceived;

• New organizational, technical and technological formats are required;

• “Through-life Integrated Concurrent Engineering”(TICE): concurrent engineering and through-life perspective integrated with collaborative technologies and large-scale production best practices.

Satellite industry megatrends

• High-throughput Satellite Communication Services i.e. increasing demand for near real-time, high speed connectivity due to: HDTV high definition video streaming for military

applications terrestrial wireless communications market

saturating “last mile” cost to add new end customers to a

network increasing exponentially • Constellations of many satellites in LEO or MEO for

navigation or Earth observation; • In general, more open, flexible, responsive and

cost-effective space missions.

Mega Constellations for Global Communications

Satellite Constellations for Earth Observation & Navigation

The “Glorious” 90’s

Heritage from the Past: Globalstar

Globalstar “Islands” Concept

Globalstar: Robotic Testing of Microwave Assemblies

Satellite Market Requirements

1. Products/Services more and more complex 2. Increasing market competitiveness 3. Increasing market volatility 4. Reduction of the “time-to-market” 5. High rate of technological innovation 6. High probability of partial or total failure

lead to

NEW TECHNOLOGICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PARADIGMS

Paradigm Shifts Needed in the Satellite Industry 1. Concurrent Engineering 2. Design to Cost 3. Design for Testability 4. Design for Producibility 5. Modular Approach to Design 6. Large Scale Production Techniques 7. Total Quality Management 8. Extensive Use of “off-the-shelf” Hardware and Software

Products 9. Electronic Management of Data (Data Management

Systems, PLM’s)

in one word:

CONCURRENT ENTERPRISE

Concurrent vs Traditional Waterfall Approach

Concurrency is the simultaneous involvement by all stakeholders in product development decisions from the outset and throughout the life cycle so that the entire value chain is reciprocally integrated—from idea to customer and back.

1. The bulk of costs are committed at early steps of a development cycle even though not expended until later

2. The cost of fixing faulty upstream decisions at late stages is exponentially greater than at earlier one

3. The opportunity costs of being late to market are very high, e.g., lower share, lower margins

4. Cross-functional teams typically provide a better quality solution to complex, dynamic product development problems than solo individuals—especially at early stages

5. Early simultaneous involvement in product development by cross-functional teams using structured development processes saves time and cost over the life cycle, especially if the design is novel.

Axioms of Concurrency

Concurrency: Axiom 1

Concurrency: Axiom 2

Concurrency: Axiom 5

Concurrency & Collaboration: Concurrent Design Facilities

Concurrency and Customer Focus

Customer Needs

Management

Suppliers

Upstream Functions e.g. Product Design

Downstream Functions e.g. Manufacturing

Customer Needs

Management

Upstream Functions e.g. Product Design

Non- CE: Customer Needs Determined by a Few

The Concurrent Enterprise An Ensemble of Strategy, Process, Organization, and Tools

1. Red two-way arrows indicate synergies;

2. A “composite” of these elements is stronger than the sum of each separately. The 2-way arrows indicate that 1+1=2+

3. Synergy among these four sets of practice enables product creation systems to achieve cost effective innovation, two otherwise incompatible outcomes

4. At the center of the composite is the Voice of Customer (“Customer-centric Enterprise”).

Through-life Integrated Concurrent Engineering

• Through-life: all phases of a satellite business are covered

(including launches, operations, maintenance, service provision), not just system development;

• Integrated: all disciplines and expertise's are integrated in a

systemic perspective. All actors (management, upstream and downstream functions, supply chain) and stakeholders of the “extended” enterprise are cooperating towards the common objective;

• Concurrent: concurrent and collaborative approaches and

technologies (IT) are widely adopted;

• Engineering: all aspects of the enterprise are engineered and

optimized with a holistic perspective.

TICE Main Guidelines (1/2)

• Engineering Processes: Concurrent and collaborative system engineering; Model-based systems engineering; Service Systems engineering; Modular design techniques.

• Technologies: Software Defined Radio; Reconfigurable antennas and payloads; Digital Signal processing; 3D printing; Fully automated AIT stations; Robotics.

TICE Main Guidelines (2/2)

• Best Practices: Standardization of requirements; Standardization of interfaces at component/subsystem

level; “Plug & Play”architectures; Multiporpose “building blocks”.

The TICE-based Enterprise Characteristics

1. Its perimeter extends to customers, partners and vendors (“extended enterprise”);

2. The line of demarcation between itself and the competitors is soft shaded (from competition to “copetition”);

3. Knowledge is being shared without cultural and organizational barriers;

4. Collaborative approaches drive innovation, despite the resistance of the formal organization.

Conclusion

• The space industry is currently transitioning from a recent environment populated almost exclusively by public institutions (national space agencies, international organizations, departments of defense, etc.) to a very near future where private funds will lead market decisions;

• A Through-life Integrated Concurrent Engineering (TICE) approach is needed, integrating such paradigm shifts as concurrent engineering, design to cost, design for producibility and testability, modular approach to design, total quality management;

• A TICE-based Concurrent Enterprise model, coupling innovation and flexibility, might enable the space industry to react positively to the challenges of mega constellations and of more severe business conditions.