The NPS Spacecraft Cost Model: tailoring current commercial Spacecraft Cost Models for Naval Postgraduate School satellite programs

Abstract

The successful launch of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Petite Amateur Navy Satellite (PANSAT) led to the development of a follow-on satellite program NPSat. Until now, there did not exist a NPS specific cost modeling procedure to ensure accurate pricing information for program management. From the Preliminary Design Review of NPSat an initial attempt at modeling this program was conducted by the author. This thesis will provide an evaluation of this initial model and address procedures for refining the initial estimate with the purpose of providing a generic NPS Cost Model. This model will tailor current commercial cost model outputs to provide accurate price estimates for NPS specific programs. The commercial cost models used were Science Applications International Corporation's (SAIC) NAFCOM model and Aerospace's Small Satellite Cost Model (SSCM). These models do not take into account a university atmosphere where staffs and facilities are reduced. A method of tailoring the outputs of these programs was conducted and integrated into an Excel based spreadsheet. The resultant product is the Naval Postgraduate School's first Cost Modeling program which allows NPS satellite program management to input results from the SSCM and NAFCOM models and output expected cost data