Aerospace

Testing vastly complex launch systems, including hardware, software and human elements ensures the safety of human lives and the preservation of large investments in space operations and research. When a national asset is truly irreplaceable, you need to assure mission success. Read More »...

Testing vastly complex launch systems, including hardware, software and human elements ensures the safety of human lives and the preservation of large investments in space operations and research. When a national asset is truly irreplaceable, you need to assure mission success.

We have worked to help drive down launch risks through independent assessment of launch vehicles. As part of our independent verification and validation, we provide assessment of launch risks and detailed insight into launch vehicle issues, such as:

• Trajectory, performance and targeting, and guidance accuracy
• Coupled loads analysis, structural/stress analysis, structural dynamics and mass properties
• Control dynamics, thermal control and thermodynamics
• Day of launch, range safety
• Trend analyses/out-of-family data
• Engineering review board information
• Failure review/reliability review board information
• First flight use
• Manufacturing process changes
• Test anomalies and failure analyses
• Re-qualification tests

Spacecraft need thorough testing before they fly and that requires reproducing the space environment on the ground, faithfully and rigorously. We offer a full suite of solutions for simulating a space environment and testing essential technology

Spacecraft need thorough testing before they fly and that requires reproducing the space environment on the ground, faithfully and rigorously. We offer a full suite of solutions for simulating a space environment and testing essential technology:

• Environmental testing – structural, electromagnetic and space simulation
• Mechanical integration
• Advanced manufacturing
• Recertification
• Optical integration
• Facility acquisition or modification, facility maintenance, clean room operations and contamination control
• Development of electrical cable harness and thermal blankets
• Engineering and computer systems management
• Procurement, logistics and equipment/property control

QinetiQ North America is a proven, trusted partner for NASA, helping launch the Atlas, Delta, Pegasus, Taurus and Falcon rockets. We provided a wide range of solutions to help ensure the success and safety of these vital space launch missions. We also support NASA’s work at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio and the Goddard Spaceflight Center in Maryland. Our performance has earned us ten of NASA’s prestigious Silver Snoopy awards. Thirty years of support provides a firm foundation and understanding of relevant mission assurance issues – allowing us to use our expertise to help fuel NASA’s success. We understand NASA’s mission and have made it our mission.

Our Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support (ELVIS) program provides: program management support, safety and mission assurance, mission integration and control, spacecraft integration operations, communications and telemetry operations and management, information technology solutions, facility and support equipment operations and management, base operations support, facility design and construction, vehicle systems engineering and mission analysis.

Under the $1.9 billion Engineering Services Contract for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, QinetiQ North America and its teammates:

• design and develop ground systems and equipment for handling, test, checkout, servicing, and other ground processing of launch vehicles, spacecraft, and payloads,
• perform flight systems engineering and support engineering for space flight hardware and software,
• develop technology that addresses NASA mission requirements and operational needs,
• operate laboratories and developmental shops, and
• provide cross-cutting technical services.

At the Software Engineering Directorate (SED), Aviation and Missile, Research and Development Engineering Center (AMRDEC)– we design, develop, engineer, test, and accredit software used in air and ballistic missile defense, fire support, close combat, aviation, C4 interoperability, ISR, and automatic test equipment. These wide ranging projects improve the effectiveness and reliability of software used in helicopters, tanks, personnel carriers and other military systems.

We support the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) with Programmatic Engineering, Measurement and Analysis (PEMA) services in support of C4I acquisition, engineering and integration. We perform the work primarily at government facilities in Charleston, S.C., San Diego, and Norfolk, Va.