Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for Low Cost Spacecraft Operations on IRIS

The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) mission is a small spacecraft mission currently flying and studying the Sun. The IRIS Mission Operations Team applied Model Based Systems Engineering to the design, development, verification, and validation of the ground systems used to support the testing and operation of the mission. This application of MBSE to mission operations and ground systems for spacecraft was carried through to operations. While MBSE was not used throughout all systems of the IRIS mission, even its application to this one system provided identifiable benefits. Applying the techniques within IRIS mission operations and ground systems was driven by the limited resources of the development phase, both in dollars and in time. The successful launch and operations of the IRIS mission within these constraints demonstrates the benefits in cost and schedule. The MBSE approach provided a mechanism to capture and share designs and interfaces from experienced team members and enable newer team members to become productive more quickly. The resulting system enables operations of this mission with a relatively small team. This paper will describe the approach taken, the benefits realized, and lessons learned within the IRIS mission. Further discussion will include the application of the IRIS mission ground system models to provide similar benefits to future missions.