SECESA 2020 – The Digital Edition

However, engineers are nothing if not inventive and the determination to not be beaten has resulted in a completely revamped on-line SECESA digital edition incorporating many of the traditional features of past conferences while introducing innovative ideas to account for the fact that we could not gather in the same location and face to face communication was not possible.

The Systems and Concurrent Engineering section, with the assistance of the ESA Conference Bureau, selected a web based digital on-line conferencing tool, which was customized, trialled, tailored to the specific needs of SECESA and finally used.

With the unique features of the ESTEC CDF being transformed into effectively broadcast studios, the game was on….

As always, the attendance of participants from around the globe – despite the different time zones! - was pronounced and the conference was attended by almost 150 specialists and industry leaders, representing space and non-space entities dealing with Systems and Concurrent Engineering. 22 countries were represented with a split of delegates of 34% industry, 42% agencies and 23% universities.

Of course the sessions were interspersed with Keynote speeches and interactive polls, networking carousels and virtual exhibitors, all accessible through the on-line digital conferencing tool.

Another new feature, proposed and sponsored by RHEA in place of the traditional aperitif, was the Students Forum, where student projects were presented during the lunch breaks and the students got the opportunity and the experience of presenting their works to potential future employers.

The social side of the conference was also not forgotten, with participants socially networking via the networking carousel feature, randomly and uninterruptedly pairing people.

The conference technical programme included 7 sessions:

• Session 1: Concurrent Engineering Facilities - Real and Digital: From their set-up until operational usage, their utilization and challenges during the Global Pandemic, some Concurrent Engineering Facilities explained their experiences.
• Session 2: Concurrent Design Tool Box: Overview on the current and next generation tools that enable a multi-disciplinary team of participants in a concurrent engineering activity to create, use and share a specific model for design and analysis of their system-of-interest. The session was structured in elevator pitches followed by in-depth break-out sessions.
• Session 3: X-years of Concurrent Design Teams - KEYNOTE: Tandem KeyNote speech from the responsible of the NASA Team X and Compass Teams, sharing their experience with SECESA participants via an interactive session moderated by the ESA Lessons Learned administration lead and Senior Knowledge Management expert, Andrew Herd.

Day 2:

• Session 4.1: Back to the Future - System Engineering: Investigating potential improvements and upgrades to Concurrent Engineering by complementing it with lessons learned from Agile methodology.
• Session 4.2: Back to the Future - System Engineering: Extending the Concurrent Engineering applications to Advanced Manufacturing, 3D immersive solutions, Internet of Things and digital twins, supporting current “digital transformation” trend.
• Session 5.1 and Session 5.2: Concurrent Engineering - Challenges and Opportunities: Highlighting the improvements made in the process and methodology of concurrent engineering and opportunities enhancing the data link, usability, efficiency and exploitation.
• Rigorous Creativity - KEYNOTE: An unconventional KeyNote over the surprising synergies between engineering and creativity. Creativity does not exclude rigor and rigor does not exclude creativity!

Day 3:

• Session 6: Systems & Concurrent Engineering and Education – Synergies: Overview of the efforts and collaborations among Universities and their Concurrent Engineering Facilities to organize, train and support students through Concurrent Engineering workshops and educational programs.
• Session 7.1: Systems & Concurrent Engineering Applications - Part 1: Cubesats, Nanosatellites and SmallSats: Concurrent Engineering applications for cubesats, nanosatellites and small satellites, exploring in particular the challenges and opportunities for these type of missions.
• Session 7.2: Systems & Concurrent Engineering Applications - Part 2: Exploration: Concurrent Engineering applications for Lunar and Mars exploration. A vision for sustainable long-term infrastructure on the Moon.

The programme was complemented by a webinar on systems engineering standardisation, followed by an interactive Q&A session.

SECESA 2020 closed with a wrap-up from the organisers and interactive discussion and conclusions, supported by polls.

Participants could come on stage broadcasting from their locations and sharing their reflections with the audience, thus reproducing a real presence plenary session.

It was a special conference, a “digital edition”…realised thank to the enthusiasm of participants and organisers!

See you at SECESA 2022!