Case Study: NASA

BUS 5116 written assignment (unit 6)

MAY 19, 2021

Description of the Case

This case study will look at each of the eight contributing causes and offer quality techniques,

techniques, and tools for mitigating them. Garvin’s (1984) eight dimensions of quality

characteristics that a client looks for in a particular product includes; (a) performance (b) features

(c) reliability (d) conformance (e) durability (f) serviceability (g) aesthetics and (h) other

perceptions.

See below some quality approaches and tools to mitigate this 8 Contributing:

(A). Blunders went undetected inside ground-based computer models of how little thruster

firings on the spacecraft were anticipated and after that carried out on the shuttle amid its

interplanetary trip to Mars. To mitigate this type of errors, NASA ought to have recognized and

minimize all costs of accomplishing great quality. Avoidance steps ought to have been embraced

and exceedingly esteemed when the ground-based models were planned. An evaluation approach

has to be tired arrange to check to see in the event that issues have happened amid or after the

creation of the product/service-testing and assessment. (James T, 2011).

(B). In reality, the operational route team was not completely educated on the points of interest

of the way that Mars Climate Orbiter was pointed in space, as compared to the prior Mars Global

Surveyor mission. James, T. (2011) earlier approach that ensured variations attributed to the

change in the process will need to be investigated and therewith also rectified. This alter in

process might have been effectively explored and amended so that the operational route group

was educated in other prior NASA Mars mission.

(C). Discretionary engine terminating to raise the spacecraft’s way relative to Mars before its

entry was considered but not performed for a few unknown reasons. Few causes of variety would
be an ideal item quality approach that can be utilized to mitigate this kind of contributing

components. This SPC approach guarantees that a steady framework where all known

inconstancy due to some factors such as surrounding temperatures, or a slight variety within the

composition of the materials that are being handled, are rapidly recognized and Inspected.

(D). In this part, the systems building work that was engineered inside the project that's assumed

to track and double check all interconnected viewpoints of the mission were not vigorous

enough, worsened by a first-time handover of a spacecraft of this sort from a team that did build

it and propelled it to a modern, multi-mission operations team. As stated by Jain, M. (n.d),

“quality assurance is quality control but with an emphasis on quality at the design stage of the

products, processes, and jobs and in the selection of manpower and their training”.

NASA should have patiently instilled a quality control policy where it can control the periodic

inspection done in all the aspects of this mission, that will enable a quick feedback on the

outcomes on the various phases seen in this project.

(E). Considering the 5th factor, most channel used in this project engineering teams were abstract

and strict. NASA needs to employ some interoperability techniques where channels and

information exchange medium between this teams would be resourceful. The measure with

which the information technology is tailored towards the project and the end users as well the

measure to which the information tech impacts the achievements of this project would be

considered.

(F). In the 6th factor, young navigation teams were considered and their work did not receive any

form of review by independent experts and engineers. A unique management team would have

easily identified these issues and then make decisions to improve and grow the productivity of
these system. Chances for peer review by experts would have been created and taken into

cognizance.

(G). In the seventh scenario, the workers were not well trained in fields that would help their

relationship with the mission and the details may have not been outlined.

It was Important to have them trained and also receive external professional development in

areas that would have helped reduce this factor drastically.

(H). In this factor, we will consider the process of verifying and validating certain engineering

and technical systems and alliances between project teams and also within the project.

A project of this sort should actually follow a due process of verification and validation which

should be technically thorough. This validation will help bring about quality assurance.

Considerations

As stated by the chairman of the MCMF Investigation Board, the major cause of the loss of this

spacecraft was obviously the failed translation of units into metric by the navigation mission

software. NASA had previously announced the release of this software and this led to this case

study of the 8 significant factors. This kind of errors could have been easily avoided if the Mars

orbiter mission team had attempted another method known as the DMAIC method. The DMAIC

method is a 5 simple steps methodology standing for define, measure, analyze, improve and

control.
Reference:

Jain, M. (n.d). Product Quality: Definition, Characteristics, and Importance. Retrieved from:

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/products/quality/product-qualitydefinition-characteristics

and-importance/907

James, T. (2011). Operations Strategy. Bookboon. Mars Climate Orbiter Failure Board Releases

Report, numerous NASA actions underway in response, (199, November 10). Retrieved

from: http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/news/mco991110.html