SACD Capabilities
![Mission, Concept, and Trade Analysis
Studying and designing how the project's mission should function and be carried out](https://sacd.larc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2018/09/objective1-259x300.png)
We provide both physics-based (aerodynamics, propulsion, flight mechanics, and structures) and non-physics based (cost, reliability, safety, and operations) disciplines to assure quality of the methods and study output.
Our analysts have the ability to understand a problem, formulate a plan, acquire and learn new tools, modify existing tools as needed, and satisfy the customer’s requirements within scope and time limitations, usually on concepts where there is little prior experience.
![Life Cycle and Uncertainty Analysis
Evaluating the impacts that design decisions have on a system and how it affects the system's life cycle](https://sacd.larc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2018/09/objective2-248x300.png)
We capture all phases of a system, from concept development, production, cost of ownership, to retirement. It is a dynamic, statistics-based, highly-complex discipline that provides crucial figures of merit, and encapsulates the most important tenants of any design: affordability and risk.
We provide qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess the impacts of design decisions on key figures of merit so decision-makers can find feasible solutions. Our goal is to provide input allowing managers to make risk-informed decisions, and increase the likelihood of meeting mission success criteria.
![Technology Assessment and Portfolio Analysis
Studying and designing how a project's mission should function and be carried out with regards to technology](https://sacd.larc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2018/09/objective3-226x300.png)
The technology assessment process connects the architectures to the investment strategies by collecting, manipulating, analyzing, documenting and disseminating technology-related information.
Programmatic, technical risks associated with each technology task, and potential risk mitigation plans are also assessed and tracked then simplified for presentation to decision makers.
![Risk Analysis
Identifying the likelihood and consequence of a potential future event](https://sacd.larc.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2018/09/objective4-243x300.png)
We provide a wide variety of capabilities, tools, methods, and experience in areas of uncertainty quantification, propagation, decomposition, management techniques, risk analysis, robust design methods, reliability methods and logic-evolved decision methodologies.
Critical Roles in the Systems Analysis Process
- Provides evaluation of uncertainty, risk, decision making metrics within the analysis or design process.
- Provides feedback to the system analysis and design process which helps to shape, define, and constrain the feasible analysis or design space and the analysis and design paths used.
- Provides feedback to decision makers or stakeholders managing the analysis or design process so they can make informed choices.