Systems Engineering for the Digital Age

Chapter 31Unique Challenges in Mission Engineering and Technology Integration

Michael Orosz¹, Brian Duffy¹, Craig Charlton¹, Hector Saunders², and Ellins Thomas³

¹ University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute, Marina del Rey, CA, USA

² US Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC), El Segundo, CA, USA

³ Booz Allen Hamilton, El Segundo, CA, USA

Introduction

The objective of this chapter is to introduce the unique challenges in mission engineering and technology integration in developing systems that are part of a much larger enterprise. Such systems include large‐scale manufacturing processes (e.g., automotive manufacturing) and operational service‐based systems such as space‐based communication systems where there are multiple subsystems, each often developed and maintained via multiple vendors and undergo modification and upgrades on different timelines. Although many of these enterprise systems are composed of both hardware and software subsystems (e.g., space vehicle and software‐based ground control), this chapter is focused primarily on software‐based systems. That said, when appropriate, any reference to hardware‐only or hybrid hardware and software‐based systems will also be noted. The targeted enterprise environment includes mid‐to‐large scale enterprises such as US Department of Defense acquisition programs and mission‐critical systems (i.e., systems that cannot fail).

In this chapter, mission engineering refers to applying systems engineering processes ...