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1\21 Japan - NASDA Rpt No 126 2002 DECEMBER
Part 2 of 5

Problems Associated with Space Qualified Parts issue
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NASDA's spacecraft design requirement often calls for development for
cost and the development for strategy at the same time. Therefore, the 
parts development and supply chain have to be constructed along such 
policy. In the other words, we are often faced with two opposite
requirement, manufacturing new and high performance parts at low cost.

Looking at these requirements individually, NASDA consider that the
strategic parts developments have to be viewed and conducted
differently from the cost reduction development, since those parts
determine the flexibility, achievability and the basic functionality
of the spacecrafts. 

However, Japan's domestic parts supply has been in a critical
situation for the past several years. The parts are high-cost to begin 
with, and there are very little developments to compliment the newest 
technology. 

On the other hand, imported parts tend to have log lead time, and to
check the availability and going through the export control procedure
of the suppliers' country takes long time. It often has the
significant effects on the project schedules. 

Spacecrafts systems are built upon many parts, and the high quality
systems require high quality parts. NASDA has always placed the
emphasis on the assurance of parts quality. 

We have suffered many times from the parts defects that are only found 
after the system integration. The effects on the schedule and the 
additional works needs to be completed become enormous in such cases. 
We realize the needs to take on the problems, but such tasks require 
large spectrum of work, and is beyond the scope of each private 
supplier. Therefore, a system has been setup so that a neutral entity 
such as NASDA acts as a "control tower", and manages growth of 
technology development as well as the assurance of the quality. NASA 
and ESA also employ the similar philosophies. 


Trend for Engaging in Spacecraft Parts Issues
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With such a situation in the background, "Space Infrastructure Study
Group" was formed in 1999, and 10 strategic technology working group
started their activities on their own.

One of the working groups is the "High Performance Small Spacecraft
System Working Group." The group considered the space qualified parts
issue as a high priority theme, and the discussion were held among the 
people involved in space development. As a result, the group made a 
recommendation to restructure the framework of parts development. 

In 2000, quality defects were found in some imported QPL (Qualified
Products List) parts, and NASDA sent personnel to the manufacturer
oversea. About the same time, "Space Electronics Study Group" was
formed in NASDA, and the group reviewed the results of "High
Performance Small Spacecraft System Working Group" in more detail.
Concrete action plans were compiled in a report and the work was
improved upon such review and experience.

NASDA formed the Parts Program Investigation Task Team in 2001 in
order to find appropriate and efficient ways to promote its parts
programs. It was established to clarify problems associated with each
project and issues common to all projects, and to address, develop and 
deploy an approach to solving these problems and issues. 

The team is tasked to review and establish parts programs from a
long-term viewpoint, and to promote as well as to materialize the
programs. 

Many space-faring nations regard their parts programs as a part of the 
national strategies, and they allocate budgets for various measures 
required to implement it. Such programs demonstrate the technological 
strength and competitiveness of the nations. They would sometimes 
involve the policy in the import and export control, as well as the 
restriction in the technological information. The nations would even 
utilize the diplomatic pressure to expand the export. 

In a report prepared by the Space Electronics Study Group, the
following commitment is stipulated as the philosophy of NASDA's parts
program. "NASDA shall take all measures necessary to reduce the risks
and to improve the reliability of spacecraft that NASDA develops. As a 
part of this effort, the management program has been expanded to
oversee the selection, availability, traceability, testing, handling,
packaging, storing and application of Electrical, Electronic, and
Electromechanical (collectively called EEE) parts, advanced
integration technology and mechanical parts in the all phases of
development. The implementation of the management program should be
clearly stipulated in a project's contract. NASDA also conducts
internal screening processes including evaluation tests as quickly as
possible in order to provide strong support for the activity of
domestic space-related manufacturers." 

In keeping with this philosophy, NASDA is committed to restructure the 
parts program to meet the demands of the new era, to maintaining
common and fundamental technologies required in the new era and
providing strong support for spacecraft projects.

The new parts program contains the following key elements.

(1) Formulation and revisions of the parts policy

Formulation and revisions of the parts policy is a section to at
establishing and maintaining a basic policy for NASDA's parts program. 
The basic policy is deliberated by the Parts Technologies Committee, 
which consists of NASDA personnel and outside experts. 

(2) Development of a long-term plan related to parts development
management.

(3) Establishment of a system for research, development, and
evaluation of parts. 

(4) Spacecraft project support 

We decided to establish a new organizational system to support the
projects' parts-related activity in a systematic and interdisciplinary 
manner.

(5) Construction of a parts information system

(6) Promotion of parts-literacy

While space-qualified parts have some properties common to commercial
parts, they are required to satisfy unique requirements including high 
reliability, endurance in a vacuum environment and radiation hardness. 
Therefore, NASDA believes that parts-literacy education has to be done 
on regular bases. It is especially urgent to produce trained parts 
specialists. We also plan to make personnel placement that provide 
in-house education and information on parts to teach the
specifications, applications, assemblies, quality assurance, failures, 
and domestic and overseas trends of space-qualified parts.

(continued)

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