LaRC ECS

Title: "Enhancing the Design Process for Complex Space Systems through Early Integration of Risk and Variable-Fidelity Modeling"

Sponsor: National Institute of Aerospace in support of NASA Langley and JPL-PDC

Task: The new National Space Policy, as announced by President Bush on 14 January 2004, establishes a vision for the sustained human and robotic exploration of the solar system. An important enabler of this Policy is the ability to rapidly and efficiently develop optimized concepts for the manifold future space missions that this vision calls for. The design of such complex systems requires a tight integration of all the engineering disciplines involved, in an environment that fosters interaction and collaboration. An enhanced national capability for the aerospace R&D community is needed to permit a true national exploration initiative with the greatest possible efficiencies and lowest risk.

ASDL has been tasked to support this effort in the areas of early integration of disciplinary knowledge in the areas of Entry, Descent and Landing risk, thermo- and aerodynamics, as well as in the area of radiation protection.