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Concurrent Design Facility

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The concurrent design facility cdf an innovative teamworking method


The Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) is the European Space Agency main assessment center for future space missions and industrial review. Located at ESTEC, ESA's technical center in Noordwijk in The Netherlands, it has been operational since early 2000.

Contents

As suggested by its name, the CDF uses concurrent engineering methodology to perform effective, fast and cheap space mission studies. Equipped with a state-of-the-art network of computers, multimedia devices and software tools, the CDF allow team of experts to perform design studies during working sessions.

Working in the concurrent design facility


Activities

The CDF is mainly in charge of performing the assessment studies of future missions for the European Space Agency. These assessment studies are phase 0 or pre-phase A studies where the needs are identified and Mission Analysis is performed. Phase 0 allows the following:

  • Identification and characterisation of the intended mission.
  • Expression in terms of needs, expected performance and dependability and safety goals.space
  • Assessment of operating constraints, in particular as regards the physical and operational environment.
  • Identification of possible system concepts, with emphasis on the degree of innovation and any critical aspect.
  • Preliminary assessment of project management data (organisation, costs, schedules).
  • Current main activities

    In addition to the "normal" studies, the CDF is currently being used as the assesement center for the ESA Cosmic Vision program.

    List of Assessment Studies

    A list of assessment studies accomplished by the CDF is:

    Facility

    The CDF design room was designed and equipped with relevant hardware and software tools, with the aim of creating an effective communication and data interchange environment among team members. In 2008, ESA donated its older CDF facility to the International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg, for educational purposes.

    References

    Concurrent Design Facility Wikipedia


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