The Design Process
Design Reviews
As specified in NASA’s engineering design life cycle, multiple design reviews are used to assess the feasibility and practicality of both attempting and accomplishing a particular project. We follow a modified version of their practices.
This includes a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to assess mission goals, risks, and criteria and is followed by a Critical Design Review (CDR). All stages include extensive criticism and evaluation by other SSI members and external entities. As launch nears, a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) will be conducted, followed by a Launch Readiness Review (LRR). The final stage of the review process is the Post Launch Assessment Review (PLAR).
PDR
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CDR
The CDR demonstrates that the maturity of the design is appropriate to support proceeding to full-scale fabrication, assembly, integration, and test and that the technical effort is on track to complete the flight and ground system development and mission operations in order to meet overall performance requirements within the identified cost and schedule constraints. Progress against management plans, budget, and schedule, as well as risk assessment, are presented. The CDR is a review of the final design of the launch vehicle and payload system. All analyses should be complete and some critical testing should be complete.
FRR
The FRR examines tests, demonstrations, analyses, and audits that determine the overall system (all projects working together) readiness for a safe and successful flight/launch and for subsequent flight operations of the as-built rocket and payload system. It ensures that all flight and ground hardware, software, personnel, and procedures are operationally ready. See specific guidelines and expectations produced by NASA.
Furthermore, please note that launch-site safety officers will also be present to approve and assess your rockets.
PLAR
[Add PLAR summary]
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