This presentation compares engineering development approaches in space-based and ground-based astronomical instrumentation, highlighting how historically distinct processes are converging with the emergence of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT)-class instruments and their increasing engineering complexity. The comparison is based on the author’s direct involvement in two major projects: METIS, a first-light instrument for ESO’s ELT, and AIRS, the infrared spectrometer for ESA’s ARIEL space mission, through roles in system engineering and project control management respectively. The comparison also draws on 30 years of experience across astronomical institutions in Chile, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The presentation discusses both the differences and commonalities between the two development approaches, including the engineering context, consortium organization, project lifecycle, system engineering practices, requirements and configuration management, system team organization, model and prototyping strategies, and selected engineering disciplines. A case study on 30 years of cryomechanism development illustrates how technology transfer has occurred in both directions between ground- and space-based instrumentation. The presentation identifies opportunities for cross-domain collaboration and demonstrates how engineering practices developed in one domain can benefit the other.
Contact Local: Thierry FOGLIZZO
Organisation: Antonio Garcia Munoz