Systems Engineering¶
Systems engineering provides the framework for designing, integrating, and operating a CubeSat as a coherent system. Rather than focusing on individual subsystems, it addresses how requirements, interfaces, constraints, and tradeoffs are managed across the entire mission lifecycle. This section covers requirements definition, system architecture, interfaces, margins, verification, and risk management for CubeSat missions.
Mission Objectives and Requirements¶
To be added here:
- Translating mission goals into technical requirements
- Science vs. technology demonstration missions
- Requirement hierarchy and traceability
- Avoiding over- and under-specification
Concept of Operations (CONOPS)¶
To be added here:
- Describing how the mission is intended to operate end-to-end
- Mission phases from launch to end-of-life
- Nominal and off-nominal operational scenarios
- Interaction between spacecraft, ground segment, and operators
System Architecture¶
To be added here:
- Functional vs. physical architectures
- Centralised vs. distributed designs
- Partitioning responsibilities across subsystems
- Architectural drivers and constraints
Interfaces and Interface Control Documents (ICDs)¶
To be added here:
- Electrical, mechanical, and software interfaces
- Defining clear ownership and boundaries
- Interface versioning and change management
- Common interface-related failure modes
Budgets and Margins¶
To be added here:
- Mass, power, data rate, and thermal budgets
- Allocating and tracking margins
- Conservative vs. aggressive margin strategies
- Iterating budgets as the design matures
Trade Studies and Design Decisions¶
To be added here:
- Comparing architectural and component options
- Evaluating cost, risk, and complexity
- Documenting rationale for decisions
- Knowing when “good enough” is sufficient
Reliability and Risk Management¶
To be added here:
- Identifying single points of failure
- Risk classification and mitigation strategies
- Redundancy vs. simplicity tradeoffs
- Designing for partial failures
Configuration and Change Management¶
To be added here:
- Managing hardware and software versions
- Controlling design changes
- Documentation and review practices
- Preventing configuration drift
Verification and Validation (V&V)¶
To be added here:
- Requirement verification methods
- Test, analysis, inspection, and demonstration
- Linking requirements to AIT activities
- Knowing when a requirement is “verified enough”
Mission Phases and Operations¶
To be added here:
- Development, launch, commissioning, and operations
- Mode transitions and operational constraints
- Ground segment interaction
- End-of-life considerations
Lessons Learned and Common Pitfalls¶
To be added here:
- Typical failure patterns in CubeSat missions
- Integration and interface issues
- Organisational and communication pitfalls
- Capturing and reusing lessons learned