Collaborative engineering in competitive environments: The PTSS Integrated Systems Engineering Team

The Precision Tracking Space System (PTSS) was to be a multiple-spacecraft constellation to enable post-boost intercept of ballistic missiles and increase missile raid handling capacity of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The PTSS requirements, operational concept, and system baseline development were conducted by a Laboratory team lead by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL) as mission integrator for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The PTSS development strategy envisioned a team of Laboratories [the Development Team (DT)] producing the first two spacecraft (Development Articles) and Industry subsequently producing the remaining spacecraft (Production Articles) to complete and maintain the required constellation. The transition between DT and industry was a risk identified at project outset. To help mitigate, a team of six industry representatives was formed to support the DT, focusing on manufacturing and production efficiency. This team was the PTSS Manufacturing and Production Readiness Integrated Systems Engineering Team (ISET). The ISET concept is derived from more than six decades of APL experience in transitioning prototype systems to operation. Prior to PTSS, this approach was most recently executed as a method to develop standards for Operationally Responsive Space satellites. The PTSS ISET was a technical working group providing support and analysis in system engineering, manufacturing, and technology issues. A core ISET tenet was a strong focus on technical products supporting overall system development, realized through detailed, joint effort to answer specific questions, assess and mitigate risks, and inform the DT and Government in acquisition, production, and operational matters. As such, the ISET operated without proprietary barriers, forgoing non-disclosure agreements and working in an open environment. The ISET included representatives from the Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation Aerospace Systems, Orbital Sciences Corporation, and Raytheon Company Space and Airborne Systems, and an APL chairperson. This team was formed to develop products that would inform and educate the DT in facilitating the transition to industry. A challenge to this open approach of engaging industry early in the conceptual development of a system that the government planned to acquire was that the industry representatives may be in competition with each other for the Production Articles. To encourage data sharing and communication, a task plan was formulated emphasizing specific products of use to the DT. The tasks and products covered a wide range of topics to inform in areas of spacecraft (bus and payloads) design, interfaces, assembly, integration, and testing. Programmatic topics were also included to address acquisition process risks and financial factors related to the production of multiple spacecraft. 49 tasks were identified. Each task was led by a member of the ISET with contributions from the remaining members. Tasks were distributed throughout the team to ensure consistent knowledge capture from all involved organizations. The ISET worked together for over two years. As PTSS entered a phase of re-formulation and the ISET ramped down, all stakeholders were asked to reflect on lessons learned, capturing the positive and negative aspects for future efforts.