Session 2 Jet Propulsion

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Questions and Answers

What was the primary role of Daniel Goldin when he was appointed in 1992?

NASA administrator (correct)

Congressional advisor

NASA engineer

Executive at TRW

Who founded JPL during World War II?

NASA's first officials

A group of CalTech graduate students and Professor Theodore von Karman (correct)

The U.S. Army

Dr. Robert Goddard

Which phrase did Daniel Goldin use to encourage innovation at JPL?

Risk-free innovation

Cutting-edge performance

Faster, better, cheaper (correct)

Safe, efficient, effective

What significant event occurred on February 1, 1958?

The launch of Explorer 1, America's first satellite Signup and view all the answers

What management philosophy did Goldin advocate for NASA during his tenure?

Adopting new techniques and technologies Signup and view all the answers

How did Daniel Goldin view the relationship between risk and cost in NASA's missions?

Accepting more risk could reduce costs Signup and view all the answers

Which space program did JPL become primarily involved with after NASA's formation?

Planetary spacecraft missions Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the main achievements of JPL in the 1950s?

Carrying out successful sub-orbital flights Signup and view all the answers

What was a major public sentiment toward NASA's budget during the early 1990s?

Demand for reforms Signup and view all the answers

Which major discovery was linked to the data sent back by Explorer 1?

The discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best characterizes the outcome Goldin aimed for with his management approach?

Maximizing output without increasing budget Signup and view all the answers

Where did Daniel Goldin gain experience prior to his appointment at NASA?

As an executive at aerospace contractor TRW Signup and view all the answers

What type of missions did JPL design and operate to pave the way for manned Apollo landings?

Robotic spacecraft missions to the Moon Signup and view all the answers

What main message did Goldin emphasize in his 1992 speech to JPL?

Innovation requires risk-taking Signup and view all the answers

What role did CalTech employees play at JPL?

They had full-time employment managing contractors Signup and view all the answers

When was NASA formed and how did it affect JPL's role?

In 1958, consolidating space programs and designating JPL as a primary center for planetary spacecraft Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the Mars Biological Explorer (MBE) mission?

To analyze subsurface samples for bio-markers Signup and view all the answers

Which stage of the MBE mission was characterized by the uncertainty termed 'unknown unknowns'?

Entry-descent-landing (EDL) stage Signup and view all the answers

Why did the engineer compare guiding a spacecraft to hitting a baseball?

Both require precise calculations of speed and angle Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant finding from recent missions to Mars prior to the MBE mission?

Presence of iced water and minerals indicative of water Signup and view all the answers

How fast did the spacecraft need to decelerate upon entering Mars' atmosphere?

12,000 miles per hour Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the entry-descent-landing phase of the MBE from the cruise phase?

The cruise phase is simpler and more predictable Signup and view all the answers

What is the total budget of the Mars Biological Explorer mission?

$745 million Signup and view all the answers

What does the MBE mission aim to analyze in its subsurface samples?

Bio-markers indicating life processes Signup and view all the answers

What consequence is defined as 'Very High' for a mission risk?

Mission failure Signup and view all the answers

Which score corresponds to a 'Low' implementation risk consequence?

2 Signup and view all the answers

If a risk has a score of 4 in the context of implementation consequences, what does this signify?

Consumed all budget, schedule or margin Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the definition of 'Moderate' consequence for a mission risk?

Moderate degradation in mission benefits Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence for an implementation risk that results in 'Very Low' degradation?

Minimal reduction in margin or launch date slack Signup and view all the answers

What does a score of 5 signify for an implementation risk?

Overran budget or contingency; unable to launch Signup and view all the answers

According to the classification, which score is associated with 'Small degradation in mission benefits'?

2 Signup and view all the answers

What type of risk is classified as having a 'Moderate' consequence for mission risk?

50% degradation in mission benefits Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the JPL missions mentioned?

To conduct interplanetary exploration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following spacecraft was NOT mentioned as part of JPL's missions?

Pioneer Signup and view all the answers

What significant event occurred in January 1986 according to the provided content?

The Challenger disaster Signup and view all the answers

Which mission's failure is described as JPL's most visible failure?

Mars Observer Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the cultural traits at JPL that hindered safety?

Reliance on past success as a substitute for sound engineering practices Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant goal for Scott Hubbard when he appointed Gentry Lee?

To design a new architecture for the Mars Mission Program Signup and view all the answers

How much was the estimated cost of the Mars Observer project?

$1 billion Signup and view all the answers

What role did JPL play in the Hubble Space Telescope project?

It developed the camera used in the telescope. Signup and view all the answers

Which project did Gentry Lee work on that successfully landed a spacecraft on Mars?

Viking Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding JPL's relation to the Apollo 1 disaster?

JPL had no involvement in the Apollo 1 mission. Signup and view all the answers

What was one organizational barrier mentioned in relation to JPL’s safety practices?

Stifling of professional differences of opinion Signup and view all the answers

What was a notable mission that Gentry Lee was involved in as chief engineer?

Galileo Signup and view all the answers

Which celestial body was NOT part of the Voyager missions?

Pluto Signup and view all the answers

During which era did JPL experience the last of its grand-scale missions?

“Faster, better, cheaper” era Signup and view all the answers

What impact did informal chains of command have at JPL?

They created confusion and bypassed organizational rules Signup and view all the answers

What was a major drawback of the organizational practices mentioned?

Poor integration of management across programs Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

JPL is a research and development center, managed by Caltech under contract with NASA.
JPL employs approximately 5,000 full-time Caltech employees and thousands of contractors.
JPL's founding was during World War II to develop and test rockets and guided missiles for the US Army.
JPL launched Explorer 1 in 1958, America's first satellite, providing data on the Van Allen radiation belts.
JPL became NASA's primary planetary spacecraft center in the 1950s, leading to the Ranger, Surveyor, Mariner, Galileo, and Voyager missions.
JPL manages the Hubble Space Telescope camera and the Deep Space Network for interplanetary communication.
Several tragic NASA failures occurred, including the Apollo 1 fire (1967) and the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion (1986), and the loss of the Mars Observer in 1993.

History and Mission

JPL's early development involved sub-orbital flights and sub-orbital rocket and missile testing.
The mission encompassed early robotic spacecraft missions to the moon which paved the way for the manned Apollo missions.
The agency's purpose is interplanetary exploration, including missions to Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
The agency designed and operated the camera for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and maintained communication with robotic missions across the solar system.
The Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar Lander failures in the 1990s highlighted the challenges to risk management.

Implementing a New Risk Management Culture at JPL

In 2000, NASA's new Mars Program Director, Scott Hubbard, asked Gentry Lee to implement a risk management program to increase mission success rates.
Lee's role was Systems Engineer responsible for all JPL planetary missions.
He established a Risk Review Board to identify, assess, and mitigate mission-threatening risks.
The Board emphasized intellectual confrontation in assessing risk, challenging assumptions about project parameters and potential issues in design.
The process involves identifying and categorizing risks which include risks categorized by consequence and likelihood. Results are often displayed in heat maps.

Critical Events Readiness Review (CERR)

A CERR meeting is held seven weeks before the launch to review and mitigate remaining risks identified by earlier reviews.
The meeting involved discussions of residual mission risks, risk mitigation strategies, and estimates of mission success.
If risks are deemed unacceptable, the launch may be delayed.
Decisions are driven by risk appetite, which varies by mission type. Flagship missions require a 96% success probability, while discovery missions may accept 90%. Delaying a mission is costly, due to personnel and equipment maintenance, as well as eroding public and Congressional support for continued funding).

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Description

Test your knowledge about Daniel Goldin's impact on NASA and the history of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This quiz covers key events, achievements, and management philosophies from the 1950s to the early 1990s. Explore the significant contributions of JPL and understand Goldin's approach to innovation and risk management.