CONCURRENT DESIGN ROOM

The Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) is a state-of-the-art facility equipped with a network of computers, multimedia devices and software tools, which allows a team of experts from various disciplines to apply the concurrent engineering approach to the design of future space missions. It facilitates fast and effective interaction of all disciplines involved, ensuring consistent and high quality results in a much shorter time. 

It is primarily used to assess the technical and financial feasibility of future space missions and new spacecraft concepts (for example, pre-Phase A or Tier-0 evaluation studies) that provide:   Evaluation of the concept of a new mission Trade-off analysis on different options Validation of new technologies at the system or mission level   As well as:

• Conceptual instrument design
• Definition and consolidation of scientific requirements
• Anomaly Investigation
• Education and training

The various computers are connected to each other and to the audiovisual environment, allowing the systems engineer to control the information displayed on each of the general screens as well as on the workstations of each team member. The connection between the computers also allows for shared use of software applications. Its main features are: concurrent engineering through teamwork, integration of tools, project data and simultaneous involvement of all mission domains, including planning, integration and testing, operations, costing, risk analysis, CAD and simulation.

The first Concurrent Design Room was established at ESTEC in November 1998 in the framework of the General Studies Programme. The IDR/UPM CDF is the result of an agreement signed with the European Space Agency (ESA) in July 2011.

Video de las sesiones de CDF del diseño preliminar del satélite UNION-Lian Hé (2016).