Implementation of a Systems Engineering Approach to the Management of a Planetary Defense Team Project in an Intensive Space Studies Program Using IPPD

Abstract

Planetary Defense is an important and challenging topic, and long‐term mitigation of asteroid impacts have been discussed by governments and space agencies; however, short‐term solutions of comet impacts are rarely considered. 34 participants from 17 countries tackled this problem, a comet impact two years after detection, at the 2015‐Space Studies Program and produced the Roadmap for EArth Defense Initiatives (READI). The Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) methodology was used to identify the mission statement, define requirements and needs, and provide possible solutions. This paper concentrates on how the IPPD was applied as a systems approach to each phase of our project, where the whole system was Planetary Defense, and its architectural decomposition was divided into five key elements: detection and tracking, deflection techniques, global collaboration, outreach and education, and evacuation and recovery. The importance of applying human factor concepts throughout the project is addressed through challenges faced, solutions applied, and lessons learned. Verification and validation of selected options are presented, along with the use of various project management tools. Furthermore, we discuss our results and recommendations for Planetary Defense, as they are products of our analysis using the IPPD approach to systems engineering.