The complexity of aircraft missiles and spacecraft now requires as much design effort on one component as an entire airplane required three and one half decades ago. This has introduced such engineering design concepts as Systems Engineering, Vehicle Engineering, Ground Support Engineering, Facility Engineering, etc.
Also, the designer has to be aware of all the many interfaces of the various complex systems which go to make up the end item. Furthermore, there must be the awareness of high reliability with a minimum cost (Value Engineering), harmonious performance with other components under the commands and demands of an automated system and advance of the design state of the art. The design must perform under conditions which haven’t even been simulated on the ground, and yet meet a customer’s crash program that causes the overlapping of design and the start of production. The ability to do this impossible task will cause a wry smile on many faces with a remark, “Somehow we seem to be able to get the job accomplished.”
This paper will review tested design principles, when reshaped and reoriented, can provide for the inherent design reliability from the conceptual design to the launch of a stage. Design Review methods used to evaluate the design at end of the comceptual, preliminary and final design phases are discussed.