Suggested Searches

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 Phase D is to assemble, integrate, verify, validate, and launch the system. These activities focus on preparing for the Flight Readiness Review (FRR)/Mission Readiness Review (MRR). Activities include assembly, integration, verification, and validation of the system, including testing the flight system to expected environments within margin. Other activities include updating operational procedures, rehearsals and training of operating personnel and crew members, and implementation of the logistics and spares planning. For flight projects, the focus of activities then shifts to prelaunch integration and launch. System engineering is involved in all aspects of this phase including answering questions, providing advice, resolving issues, assessing results of the verification and validation tests, ensuring that the V&V results meet the customer expectations and applicable requirements, and providing information to decision makers for go/no-go decisions.

The planning for Phase D activities was initiated in Phase A. For IT projects, refer to the IT Systems Engineering Handbook. The planning for the activities should be performed as early as possible since changes at this point can become costly. Phase D concludes with a system that has been shown to be capable of accomplishing the purpose for which it was created.

Space Flight Phase D: System Assembly, Integration and Test, Launch

Purpose
To assemble and integrate the system (hardware, software, and humans), meanwhile developing confidence that it will be able to meet the system requirements. Launch and prepare for operations. Perform system end product implementation, assembly, integration and test, and transition to use.

Typical Activities and Their Products

  • Update documents developed and baselined in previous phases
  • Monitor project progress against plans
  • Identify and update risks
  • Integrate/assemble components according to the integration plans
  • Perform verification and validation on assemblies according to the V&V Plan and procedures
    • Perform system qualification verifications, including environmental verifications
    • Perform system acceptance verifications and validation(s) (e.g., end-to-end tests encompassing all elements; i.e., space element, ground system, data processing system)
    • Assess and approve verification and validation results
    • Resolve verification and validation discrepancies
    • Archive documentation for verifications and validations performed
    • Baseline verification and validation report
  • Prepare and baseline
    • Operator’s manuals
    • Maintenance manuals
    • Operations handbook
    • Prepare launch, operations, and ground support sites including training as needed
    • Train initial system operators and maintainers
    • Train on contingency planning
    • Confirm telemetry validation and ground data processing
    • Confirm system and support elements are ready for flight
    • Provide support to the launch and checkout of the system
    • Perform planned on-orbit operational verification(s) and validation(s)
  • Document lessons learned. Perform required Phase D technical activities from NPR 7120.5
  • Satisfy Phase D reviews’ entrance/success criteria from NPR 7123.1

Reviews

  • Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs)
  • System Acceptance Review (SAR) or pre-Ship Review
  • ORR
  • FRR
  • System functional and physical configuration audits
  • Safety review