Cost Reduction - Buzzwords and Their Real Use: Mission Families, Mission Planning, Mission Automation and Standardization

For many missions, the European Space Agency ESA has followed a delta approach connected with excessive software reuse for the development of operational ground software for space missions. This approach of mission families is well proven and has already led to enormous cost savings regarding development and maintenance costs. Advances in mission planning and mission automation are an example how operational IT can reduce operational costs of space missions. For further cost reductions and to allow for less effort required for the development of ground systems and the definition of exchange formats, ESA is actively moving forward in standardization.