4. System Management

When funding is started, a mission implementation team is formed. The development of the spacecraft and instruments is conducted as a team effort. This team typically consists of about fifty members and involves not only ISAS staff but also many scientists working in the field (X-ray astronomy in the case of ASTRO-D) at various universities. The team is subdivided into various subsystem teams.

One of the distinct features of the ISAS style of mission implementation is that ISAS does not use a prime contractor. Instead, ISAS takes on the entire management responsibility and an ISAS professor is appointed project manager. In the case of ASTRO-D, Y. Tanaka was the project manager and H. Inoue was the deputy project manager. In addition, two ISAS engineering professors, J. Onoda and I. Nakatani, were assigned as advisors for mechanical and electronic areas respectively.

Most of the subsystems are subcontracted for fabrication with various manufacturers. However, the design and verification of individual subsystems are conducted jointly with ISAS staff under ISAS responsibility. The implementation team meets frequently with the participation of the engineers from subcontractors in order to review subsystem designs and work progress and to coordinate subsystem teams for establishing interfaces.

When specifications must be modified, the project manager directs the necessary adjustments, in close cooperation with engineers and scientists, in such a way as to minimize their impact on scientific capabilities. The expertise accumulated at ISAS from past experiences enables us to make appropriate judgments and advice, which we find highly effective for keeping to budgets and schedules.