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3.0.     NASA Program/Project Life Cycle
3.1      Program Formulation
3.2      Program Implementation
3.3      Project Pre-Phase A: Concept Studies
3.4      Project Phase A: Concept and Technology Development
3.5      Project Phase B: Preliminary Design and Technology Completion
3.6      Project Phase C: Final Design and Fabrication
3.7      Project Phase D: System Assembly, Integration and Test, Launch
3.8      Project Phase E: Operations and Sustainment    
3.9      Project Phase F: Closeout
3.10    Funding: The Budget Cycle
3.11    Tailoring and Customization of NPR 7123.1 Requirements

The purpose of Pre-Phase A is to produce a broad spectrum of ideas and alternatives for missions from which new programs/projects can be selected. During Pre-Phase A, a study or proposal team analyses a broad range of mission concepts that can fall within technical, cost, and schedule constraints and that contribute to program and Mission Directorate goals and objectives. Pre-Phase A effort could include focused examinations on high-risk or high technology development areas. These advanced studies, along with interactions with customers and other potential stakeholders, help the team to identify promising mission concept(s). The key stakeholders (including the customer) are determined and expectations for the project are gathered from them. If feasible concepts can be found, one or more may be selected to go into Phase A for further development. Typically, the system engineers are heavily involved in the development and assessment of the concept options. In projects governed by NPR 7120.5, the descope options define what the system can accomplish if the resources are not available to accomplish the entire mission. This could be in the form of fewer instruments, a less ambitious mission profile, accomplishing only a few goals, or using cheaper, less capable technology. Descope options can also reflect what the mission can accomplish in case a hardware failure results in the loss of a portion of the spacecraft architecture; for example, what an orbiter can accomplish after the loss of a lander. The success criteria are reduced to correspond with a descoped mission.

Descope options are developed when the NGOs or other stakeholder expectation documentation is developed. The project team develops a preliminary set of mission descope options as a gate product for the MCR, but these preliminary descope options are not baselined or maintained. They are kept in the documentation archive in case they are needed later in the life cycle.

It is important in Pre-Phase A to define an accurate group of stakeholders and users to help ensure that mission goals and operations concepts meet the needs and expectations of the end users. In addition, it is important to estimate the composition of the technical team and identify any unique facility or personnel requirements.

Advanced studies may extend for several years and are typically focused on establishing mission goals and formulating top-level system requirements and ConOps. Conceptual designs may be developed to demonstrate feasibility and support programmatic estimates. The emphasis is on establishing feasibility and desirability rather than optimality. Analyses and designs are accordingly limited in both depth and number of options, but each option should be evaluated for its implications through the full life cycle, i.e., through Operations and Disposal. It is important in Pre-Phase A to develop and mature a clear vision of what problems the proposed program will address, how it will address them, and how the solution will be feasible and cost-effective.

Space Flight Pre‑Phase A: Concept Studies

Purpose
To produce a broad spectrum of ideas and alternatives for missions from which new programs and projects can be selected. Determine feasibility of desired system; develop mission concepts; draft system-level requirements; assess performance, cost, and schedule feasibility; identify potential technology needs and scope.

Typical Activities and Products

  • Review/identify any initial customer requirements or scope of work, which may include:
    • Mission
    • Science
    • Top-level system
  • Identify and involve users and other stakeholders
    • Identify key stakeholders for each phase of the life cycle
    • Capture and baseline expectations as Needs, Goals, and Objectives (NGOs)
    • Define measures of effectiveness
  • Develop and baseline the Concept of Operations
    • Identify and perform trade-offs and analyses of alternatives (AoA)
    • Perform preliminary evaluations of possible missions
  • Identify risk classification
  • Identify initial technical risks
  • Identify the roles and responsibilities in performing mission objectives (i.e., technical team, flight, and ground crew) including training
  • Develop plans
    • Develop preliminary SEMP
    • Develop and baseline Technology Development Plan
    • Define preliminary verification and validation approach
  • Prepare program/project proposals, which may include:
    • Mission justification and objectives;
    • A ConOps that exhibits clear understanding of how the program’s outcomes will cost-effectively satisfy mission objectives;
    • High-level Work Breakdown Structures (WBSs);
    • Life cycle rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost, schedule, and risk estimates; and
    • Technology assessment and maturation strategies.
  • Satisfy MCR entrance/success criteria from NPR 7123.1

Reviews

  • MCR
  • Informal proposal review