METIS: A System and MBSE Methodology for Small Spacecraft Development

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methods and tools are being used to improve capabilities and reliability in small spacecraft missions. These methods and tools enable rapid, comprehensive, deeper and more integrated spacecraft design across the entire life cycle from initial concept through system operations and end of mission disposal. We propose to develop METIS (Methodology Integration System), a system incorporating standard SysML model templates, an MBSE methodology and best practice patterns, a database of standard small satellite components, and a set of tool integrations that will enable rapid design, development, validation, verification, analysis and simulation of small spacecraft missions across the entire mission life cycle from initial concept through completed mission. This innovative system will (ultimately) allow an engineer to: Rapidly generate cost estimates and project plans for small spacecraft missions based on a given set of requirements. Define a mission model and rapidly converge on a physical design based on selections of standard small spacecraft components. Perform trade studies around alternate spacecraft component selections. Incorporate analysis results from external tools including structural, thermal, and orbital dynamics models. Validate and verify the mission model based on technical measures, behavioral simulations and engineering analysis results. Assess and manage mission risk. Generate traditional systems engineering artifacts such as mission requirements, interface documents and concept of operations (ConOps).

METIS will enable NASA to rapidly define and execute small spacecraft missions by enabling more comprehensive, deeper and integrated small spacecraft designs across the entire mission life cycle. It will provide a solution to cross-cutting modeling challenges including cost and schedule, trade space exploration, risk assessment and modeling, validation and verification, and automated generation of traditional systems engineering documents.

METIS will provide an integrated model-based systems engineering environment enabling rapid delivery of commercial small satellite missions. It will form a central component of Orbital Transports’ commercial space logistics offering for delivering small satellite missions to customers.

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