Students on the Northrop Grumman team will Look to the future of space in 10+ years and design a modular based spacecraft component using model-based systems engineering (MBSE) that pushes the boundaries of conventional spacecraft to accommodate a new space architecture.
Abstract:
Recent advancements in technology have opened a new horizon of spacecraft design. Step back and look at the landscape of missions and customers and push your project towards a truly modular MBSE based spacecraft that is looking to the future of space.
Design work will start a modular MBSE based bus modeled with standard building blocks that we can keep adding to as the technology continues to advance. Create standard interfaces that allow your spacecraft to be designed and modified in space for multiple missions and changing adversaries. Imagine a spacecraft that looks to the future and is built on interchangeable fundamental building blocks (no single use point designs) leveraging MBSE to highlight the subsystems of the spacecraft. Internally Northrop Grumman uses DOORS, CAMEO, Rhapsody, Clearquest, and MATLAB software for this type of work.
Ensure the bus is adaptable to on orbit maintenance or upgrades, more propulsion, higher power levels, adaptable to many payloads for DoD, NASA, etc. Design a multi mission spacecraft component with interfaces that are adaptable to all in the space industry. Support the political very fast-moving landscape to get things into orbit quickly with fast maneuverability within the bus to address all threats and a variety of missions and customers. Use the MBSE building block principles that include a plug and play cybersecurity/anti-tamper, space servicing, as well as easy disposal as the foundation for the design.
Look at some of the spacecraft buses built by NG and others and examine what we should leverage, what needs to be changed, and what we can completely revolutionize. Then create some bite size building blocks or interfaces making the bus more forward thinking to the future of space. Introduce upgrades as the team sees fit, like the use of advanced common interfaces, upgraded propulsion, refueling ports, grapple points for servicing, electric or hybrid propulsion to allow for movement between and within key orbits, use advanced manufacturing techniques like additive manufacturing, have modular components that could be upgraded by our space servicing vehicle, and other things defined within your research and brainstorming. The goal is to create a novel and transformative Spacecraft that pushes the limits and is shaped to the future with a focus on modular/agile subsystems that supports the new paradigms within the Space landscape.
Students on the Northrop Grumman team will design an interface for these modular components. The deliverable in December 2025 will be a MBSE model of the modular building blocks, a study of what needs to be reworked, and a hardware example of one of these modular building blocks/interfaces.
Impact:
This project gets to the heart of the possibilities for Space Systems. It supports NGs transformative advancements in critical technologies and looks to integrate these technologies into a spacecraft that is designed to remain relevant. It enables low cost, low NRE, and rapid schedules from a programmatic level but gets to the heart of looking to the future and helping agencies and visions of space across all industry. It is this critical thinking about advanced designs that will help tip the needle to advancements in space integrated smartly that changes how and where space technologies move to the future.
Scope:
Minimum Viable Product Deliverable (Minimum level of success)
- Comprehensive literature review and technology search of modular spacecraft design, applicable emerging technologies, and projected adaptability to space applications. Comprehensive review of internal NG information on spacecraft standards.
- Complete a mini project in System Engineering and Model Based Systems Engineering to build foundational skills for the rest of the project.
- Develop a set of requirements for the design solution with sponsor input.
- Identify set of possible modules and technologies for this spacecraft.
- Using a model-based systems engineering approach, derive a design that addresses the top challenges as agreed with the sponsor. Model these building blocks that create the spacecraft and identify those that need overhaul for future integration.
- Leverage the multidisciplinary background of the team to develop a multitude of design ideas for the module interfaces. Think outside the box and come up with novel ideas beyond those on the current horizon. We value innovation and forward thinking. Be creative.
- Evaluate the top design ideas against the expected ability to meet requirements and feasibility for prototyping (access to necessary knowledge and information, materials, fabrication facilities, etc.). This will likely require “mini-project” investigations.
- Design and build the hardware for a common, quick change cabling interface serviceable in space and demo replacing the interface doing a safe to mate in simulated orbit.
Expected Final Deliverable (Expected level of success)
- Guided by the mentors, select one solution concept and develop a rough prototype of one of the components incorporating the modular quick-change bus.
- Evaluate the prototype against the requirements and deliver a final report and briefing on your findings.
Stretch Goal Opportunities: (High level of success)
- Merge the common interface hardware demonstrated with the new technological advancement and demo the rapid in space (real time) change to the mission requirements with this new building block that changes the fundamentals of the bus making it more novel for its new mission requirements.
- Demonstrate this with HW or rapid prototyping with strong traceability using MBSE to the original requirements and the agile developed new requirements that were identified and mapped to show this rapid development of the system.
- Show the ability to swap back to the original requirements and HW within the models and HW/SW.
- Assess the potential for new missions using your optimized modular design. Categorize them as they relate to current mission operations.
Below are the skills needed for this project. Students with the following relevant skills and interest, regardless of major, are encouraged to apply! This is a team based multidisciplinary project. Students on the team are not expected to have experience in all areas, but should be willing to learn and will be asked to perform a breadth of tasks throughout the two semester project.
General Design + Systems Integration (1-2 Students)
Specific Skills: Excellent broad based engineering skills; depth in your major field. Experience in requirements and specification skills Motivation to develop knowledge and skills in system engineering.
Prior experience in systems integration, MBSE, Space Systems advancement, and/or Complex system design a significant plus.
Likely Majors: AERO, SPACE, NAME, Any Engineering
Mechanical Design and Modelling (1-2 Students)
Specific Skills: Mechanical design, system integration, strong design skills, experimental testing, and evaluation.
Likely Majors: ME, SPACE, AERO, NAME
Electrical Engineering (2 Student)
Specific Skills: Electrical design, strong design skills, experimental testing, interface design, electrical interface skills, cable management. Basic coding.
Likely Majors: EE, CE
Computer Engineering / Software Architecture (1-2 Student)
Specific Skills: SW architecture, Electrical system development.
Likely Majors: CE, CS
Additional Desired Skills/Knowledge/Experience
If you have any of these characteristics, highlight them on your Experience and Interest Form and talk about them in your (optional) one way video interview.
- Prior experience in MBSE (model-based systems engineering)
- Practical experience with subsystem integration, requirements, and specifications. We highly value experience working on practical engineering teams (If you have engineering competition team experience, in any field, please be sure to highlight this!)
- Experience with any of these software tools: DOORS, CAMEO, Rhapsody, Clearquest, and MatLab
- Excellent, creative problem-solving skills
- An enthusiastic, proactive, hands-on approach to project work. Experience working on teams.
- Collaborative and innovative thinker
- Contingency planning and execution
- Domain knowledge and/or experience specific to design for space flight
- Experience in design for additive manufacturing
- Experience building and designing standard interfaces from an EE, ME, and software perspective
- Knowledge of ISAM
Sponsor Mentor
Christienne Mancini
Program Manager
Christienne Mancini has been working on large-scale systems from Space Systems, Missile Defense Systems, UAS systems, as well as Submarines and Surface Ships, and has 21 years of full systems engineering life-cycle experience. Christienne is a Program Manager for Northrop Grumman’s Space Systems sector in the Science and Robotics Exploration unit.
Dr. Anthony J. DeCicco
Sr. Systems Engineer
Anthony DeCicco works on multiple space product development programs at Northrop Grumman, merging the technologies of tomorrow to create new missions. Anthony joined Northrop Grumman in 2018 after completing his PhD in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland on deflecting asteroids with an electric propulsion system he developed and tested. Anthony recently returned from a 13mos deployment at the South Pole Station where he operated a telescope array investigating the polarization of the cosmic microwave background. His past programs include Europa Clipper, the Human Lunar Landing System, Space Robotics development, Persistent Platforms, and Cygnus. He currently works within the Civil Space organization on missions related to LEO commercialization, including a post-ISS human presence.
Executive Mentor
Andy Kwas
NG Fellow 2/Engineering Systems Architect
Andrew Kwas graduated from the University of Michigan in 1980 with a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. He has 45 years with TRW/NGC, working in advanced projects specializing in on-orbit space products, astrophysics projects, and weapon system developments. In Mr. Kwas’ role as a NG Fellow specializing in space and advanced manufacturing, he supports NASA, AFRL, NRO, DARPA, SMDC, ORSO and the Navy in high tech programs. Mr. Kwas is on the Technical Advisory Board for Cornell, U Michigan, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and U New Mexico. He is considered one of the prominent additive manufacturing (AM) experts in the country, and has produced numerous papers in AM, advanced satellite technology, unique logistics solutions, and miniaturization of components. Mr. Kwas is an appointed Research Scholar at the University of New Mexico.
Faculty Mentor
Nilton Renno
Nilton Renno is a Professor in the Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering department. His research interests include, aerosols and climate, astrobiology, instrument development, planetary science, systems engineering, and thermodynamics.
Weekly Meetings: During the winter 2025 semester, the Northrop Grumman team will meet on North Campus on TBD.
Work Location: Most of the work will take place on campus in Ann Arbor.
Course Substitutions: TBD
Citizenship Requirements: This project is open to all students. Note: International students on an F-1 visa will be required to declare part time CPT during Winter 2025 and Fall 2025 terms.
IP/NDA: Students will sign IP/NDA documents that are unique to Northrop Grumman.
Summer Project Activities: No summer activities are currently planned.
Learn more about the expectations for this type of MDP project