Description of Driving Event:
NASA Pursuit of Shuttle Avionics Upgrades
Lesson(s) Learned:
NASA has established an Avionics Upgrade Architecture Team (AUAT) charged with studying Space Shuttle avionics systems and recommending upgrades. The AUAT has conducted a thorough study and developed an excellent Block I upgrade plan that addresses the most serious needs, but as yet it is unfunded.
Recommendation(s):
Proceed with full funding for the proposed Block I Space Shuttle avionics upgrades as rapidly as possible.
Evidence of Recurrence Control Effectiveness:
The SSP has two categories of avionics upgrades - safety and supportability. Both safety upgrades and hardware supportability upgrades meet the Agency's goal of continued and reliable Shuttle operations, with significantly reduced safety risks, through at least FY 2012. NASA is aggressively developing an Upgrade Program Plan for implementing the safety upgrades into the Shuttle fleet by FY 2005. These upgrades include the avionics changes required to add cockpit displays for abort situation awareness, and enhanced caution and warning, which will provide information and solutions that will significantly reduce the crew workload for complex and/or multiple failures. Funding for the formulation phase (requirement definition and validation, design architecture, and subsystem procurement specification) for these upgrades has been authorized by the program and is underway. The current NASA SSP budget submission also provides for implementation funding. Potential avionics supportability upgrades needed to reliably ensure that flight-certified hardware is available to support the Shuttle manifest through FY 2012 are under review. Ongoing avionics supportability upgrade analyses focus primarily on maintenance concerns associated with the orbiter integrated communications system. The case for upgrading the communications system, and the various upgrade options studied by the avionics supportability assessment team will be reviewed by the program during the POP 2000 planning cycle.
Documents Related to Lesson:
N/A
Mission Directorate(s):
- Exploration Systems
- Space Operations
- Aeronautics Research
Additional Key Phrase(s):
- Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel
- Computers
- Policy & Planning
- Research & Development
- Risk Management/Assessment
- Software
- Spacecraft
- Test & Verification
Additional Info:
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