A safer, less expensive Highway to Space is one of NASA's most important goals as it continues to pioneer the future and do what has never been done before. Driving the new highway is NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI) - a blueprint for investigating new space transportation architectures, and the technologies to profitably implement them. SLI's centerpiece is the Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) - set for takeoff in 2012. This will be the first completely new launch vehicle developed in the U.S. since the Space Shuttle's inaugural launch in 1981.
In a period of constrained budgets, NASA has another challenge - convincing Congress that every dollar it appropriates for the program will be used wisely. PRICE Systems is helping NASA in its quest to convey confidence in its cost estimates - in fact, it asked PRICE to build the foundation that is enabling NASA cost analysts to generate credible and defendable Life Cycle Cost (LCC) estimates for the RLV.
Jeff Murphey, an executive consultant with nearly 15 years of parametric cost analysis experience, led the eight-month PRICE effort. Working with the NASA team at Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center, he began by collecting cost and technical information for the entire Space Shuttle Transportation System, from 1972 through 1981. "You have to get a deep understanding of the earlier efforts before you can effectively estimate the costs of future projects," says Jeff.
From the historical data he collected, Jeff derived a set of manufacturing complexities that NASA cost analysts will use to generate more accurate estimates. These calibrated values will also give NASA a framework for future calibration efforts.
Using the PRICE models, independent LCC estimates were developed for two different RLV design configurations. The results were included as part of an independent SLI cost credibility assessment. Jeff Murphey is proud that PRICE's contribution helped NASA demonstrate a high level of cost estimating competency.
At NASA's request, PRICE consultants linked the PRICE Estimating Suite with Marshall's Collaborative Engineering Center. The integrated design-to-cost tool set will enable systems and design engineers to get real-time cost feedback on their desktops anytime a design parameter is changed.
As a result of his success, Jeff Murphey was invited to Houston to present to the NASA Cost Analysis Working Group - a NASA-wide group formed to promote the use of best cost analysis practices. "I have no doubt that NASA has embraced the use of the PRICE approach to cost estimating, and that it will see more and more benefits from it down the road," says Jeff.
And to maximize its benefit, the Space Flight Center in Huntsville has asked Jeff for an encore. This week, he is training the Engineering Cost Estimating Office in the use of the PRICE Hardware model in the space environment.