Engineering topics

Hammond, Walter E.

Publications and source records attributed to Hammond, Walter E..

7 records

NASA NTRS2008

Seven Key Principles of Program and Project Success: A Best Practices Survey

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Organization Design Team (ODT), consisting of 20 seasoned program and project managers and systems engineers from a broad spectrum of the aerospace industry, academia, and government, was formed to support the Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) Program and the Constellation Systems Program. The purpose of the ODT was to investigate organizational factors that can lead to success or failure of complex government programs, and to identify tools and methods for the design, modeling, and analysis of new and more-efficient program and project organizations. The ODT conducted a series of workshops featuring invited lectures from seasoned program and project managers representing 25 significant technical programs spanning 50 years of experience. The result was the identification of seven key principles of program success that can be used to help design and operate future program organizations. This paper presents the success principles and examples of best practices that can significantly improve the design of program, project, and performing technical line organizations, the assessment of workforce needs and organization performance, and the execution of programs and projects.

Bilardo, Vincent J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Cost Estimation and Control for Flight Systems

Good program management practices, cost analysis, cost estimation, and cost control for aerospace flight systems are interrelated and depend upon each other. The best cost control process cannot overcome poor design or poor systems trades that lead to the wrong approach. The project needs robust Technical, Schedule, Cost, Risk, and Cost Risk practices before it can incorporate adequate Cost Control. Cost analysis both precedes and follows cost estimation -- the two are closely coupled with each other and with Risk analysis. Parametric cost estimating relationships and computerized models are most often used. NASA has learned some valuable lessons in controlling cost problems, and recommends use of a summary Project Manager's checklist as shown here.

Hammond, Walter E.↗

NASA NTRS1992

NASA systems engineering handbook. Draft

This handbook is intended to provide information on systems engineering that will be useful to NASA system engineers, especially new ones. Its primary objective is to provide a generic description of systems engineering as it should be applied throughout NASA. Field Center Handbooks are encouraged to provide center-specific details of implementation. For NASA system engineers to choose to keep a copy of this handbook at their elbows, it must provide answers that cannot be easily found elsewhere. Consequently, it provides NASA-relevant perspectives and NASA-particular data. NASA management instructions (NMI's) are referenced when applicable. This handbook's secondary objective is to serve as a useful companion to all of the various courses in systems engineering that are being offered under NASA's auspices. The coverage of systems engineering is general to techniques, concepts, and generic descriptions of processes, tools, and techniques. It provides good systems engineering practices, and pitfalls to avoid. This handbook describes systems engineering as it should be applied to the development of major NASA product and producing systems.

Shishko, Robert↗

NASA NTRS1992

Vehicle health management technology needs

Background material on vehicle health management (VHM) and health monitoring/control is presented. VHM benefits are described and a list of VHM technology needs that should be pursued is presented. The NASA funding process as it impacts VHM technology funding is touched upon, and the VHM architecture guidelines for generic launch vehicles are described. An example of a good VHM architecture, design, and operational philosophy as it was conceptualized for the National Launch System program is presented. Consideration is given to the Strategic Avionics Technology Working Group's role in VHM, earth-to-orbit, and space vehicle avionics technology development considerations, and some actual examples of VHM benefits for checkout are given.

Hammond, Walter E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Jovian electrodynamic tether experiment

A case is made for an electrodynamic tether scientific platform to be put into orbit around Jupiter as a follow-on to the present series of earth-based Tethered Satellite System (TSS) experiments. Preliminary system trades are made to bound the amount of power (assuming 100 percent plasma contactor efficiency) that can be obtained from the orbiting Jovian tether. With magnetic field strengths of roughly 4 to 7 Gauss, power levels of the order of 100 kilowatts can be obtained with a thin 500 km long tether. This should suffice to power a Jovian scientific experiment package. The electrodynamic tether also affords a loitering capability as it can be operated as a thruster in addition to a power generator. Further study and research is needed to characterize the Jovian tether as to its electrodynamic and dynamic performance potential. Hollow cathode plasma contactor operation needs to be verified in near earth space.

Hammond, Walter E.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility - Extending man's vision into the X-ray universe

The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility will open a clear window into the X-ray universe. This paper presents an overview of the history, objectives, and status of the program and its projected impact on man's knowledge of the cosmos. The program is shown to be a total system composed of subsystems and their interfaces, verification activities, operations considerations, and a comprehensive interface with the scientific community.

Miller, Lee A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Space exploration and colonization - Towards a space faring society

Development trends of space exploration and colonization since 1957 are reviewed, and a five-phase evolutionary program planned for the long-term future is described. The International Geosphere-Biosphere program which is intended to provide the database on enviromental changes of the earth as a global system is considered. Evolution encompasses the anticipated advantages of such NASA observation projects as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Gamma Ray Observatory, the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility, and the Cosmic Background Explorer. Attention is given to requirements for space colonization, including development of artificial gravity and countermeasures to mitigate zero gravity problems; robotics and systems aimed to minimize human exposure to the space environment; the use of nuclear propulsion; and international collaboration on lunar-Mars projects. It is recommended that nuclear energy sources be developed for both propulsion and as extraterrestrial power plants.

Hammond, Walter E.↗