A Non-Standard Production Approach to Satellite Consellations

A non-standard approach solves several problems encountered in the production of commercial constellations consisting of relatively large numbers of spacecraft. In a commercial environment, market pressures drive the need for a rapid production schedule and highly reliable satellites. This dictates a departure from a conventional spacecraft production process. The ORBCOMM spacecraft program has developed a singular approach to spacecraft production. This new approach consists of three major elements: 1) On-line Production Process: On-line procedures guide the production process. The engineers input procedure modifications directly into the database that are then immediately accessible. The process incorporates on-line nonconformance reporting. Integrated quality assurance, configuration management, and assembly procedures reduce the turnaround time to process changes and anomalies. The data feeds directly into an on-line status database that automatically tracks progress. 2) Automated Functional Testing: Automated functional test procedures, created during the development and qualification phases of the program, allow for repeatable and consistent testing for production units. The tests minimize operator involvement and real-time decision making. They provide real-time limit checking and maximize automated data analysis, reducing test durations. Test results and status tie directly to the status database. 3) Streamlined Testing: Rigorous box testing reduces the probability of unit failures during system integration and testing. After successful design verification, the production vehicles undergo drastically reduced system level environmental testing. The tests verify minimal functional requirements and screen workmanship problems. The production and testing of the second generation constellation of commercial ORBCOMM satellites, consisting of more than thirty spacecraft, implement these elements.