The Aerospace Corporation’s federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) technical capabilities, facilities, and modeling and simulation tools were originally developed to support the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center and National Reconnaissance Office in their national security space mission. These capabilities include:
Launch certification consists of a verification of readiness to launch of all systems, elements, and processes essential to the success of the specific mission. Such verification includes launch system design, payload integration, launch system analysis, hardware qualification and acceptance testing, software development, and overall launch processing. A final launch readiness assessment is provided to the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, prior to launch.
System-of-systems engineering is the architecture planning and development, internal and external interface analysis, modeling and simulation analysis, and independent verification essential to the development of space systems.
Systems Development and Acquisition
Processes defined as systems development and acquisition activities include such operational requirements analysis and evaluation; mission threat analysis; risk assessment; technical performance analysis and assessment, supporting acquisition planning; program preparation and evaluation; test planning and evaluation; and program milestone and design reviews.
Process implementation involves the technical expertise required to support acquisition initiatives. This expertise covers military standards and specifications, development and evaluation of critical processes, and support of proof-to-concept prototyping.
Technology application is the assessment of opportunities, alternatives, and risks presented by the application of technology into new and existing space systems.