Space Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle Lessons Learned: An Interim Assessment of Government and Contractor Progress Towards Development of a Standard, Affordable ESPA-Class Spacecraft Product Line

摘要

In April 2006 the Space Development and Test Wing (SDTW) awarded the Space Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle (STP-SIV) contract to Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. The goal of this acquisition was to develop a spacecraft product line capable of meeting the Space Test Program's need for affordable and rapid access to low earth orbit through the next decade. With the first space vehicle ready for flight (August '09) and the production of the second order underway, the objectives of this paper are to review the lessons learned and successes from the first spacecraft (STPSat-2) and present how the application of the successes and lessons learned contributed to the evolution of the program strategy for subsequent orders of the STP-SIV product line. (Figure 1). This paper identifies lessons and successes from a number of program elements including: (1) System Requirements and Application of Standards (2) Streamlined Payload Accommodation Process (3) Economies of a standard spacecraft design (4) Acquisition Plan "as envisioned vs. as realized" (5) Cost and Schedule Performance (6) Government-contractor relationship/teaming The discussion on each of these topics offers the reader insight into the challenges and successes of the STP-SIV program from both the government's and the contractor's perspectives. The paper describes how the experiences have contributed to significant changes across several key areas of the program for the second order. It provides both government and contractor insight into the motivations for change and reviews how these decisions are being implemented for upcoming orders of the STP-SIV product. Finally, the paper discusses how the progress to date has contributed to the team realizing the goals envisioned for this program and future objectives for the product and how STP-SIV could be further evolved to meet the more aggressive demands of rapid, low-cost access to space.