The "Concurrent Design of Space Systems" Course

During the four day course, between 12 and 16 ESA staff members are given the opportunity to experience the process of analysis and design of space systems using concurrent design methods and tools. The course combines technical lectures and hands-on design using the tools, databases and methods typically used in the ESA CDF and is provided by some 16 ESA technical experts.

The ESA Internal University is keen to promote the following aspects of this course:
• Systems engineering skills, which are a core competence for ESA that must be sustained and enhanced.
• Concurrent design methods, which are innovative and effective and must become more prevalent in the Agency.
• Transfer of knowledge from ESA experts to other ESA staff, which is a key to maintaining a high standard of technical competence in the Agency.

The objectives of the course are as follows:
• To become familiar with the role of the system engineer in an interactive and guided conceptual design exercise for a topical mission.
• To experience the conceptual design of space systems for a hands-on design case under the guidance of D/TEC and D/OPS experts.
• To spread the corporate knowledge and design techniques available in the CDF infrastructure databases and modelling environment.
• To understand the benefits of space system analysis and design using the concurrent engineering process.
• To be familiar with the ESA Concurrent Design Facility infrastructure and processes.

The course is now a standard ESA programme conducted at least once a year, and could potentially be opened to institutional partners and industry in the future. At the latest session, which took place on 25-28 September 2007, the average overall score was 4.29 (on a scale of 0 to 5), showing that participants rate this course highly.

For more details on the course please refer to the ESA Internal University on the HR Online website.