Requirements gathering is a fundamental step in the systems engineering lifecycle, shaping the success of space missions. This research focuses on refining the requirements development process through a structured methodology, using Project COMET—a University Nanosatellite Program (UNP) mission—as a case study. While Project COMET encompasses various design and operational challenges, this study is centered specifically on improving requirement identification, analysis, and validation for small satellite development. The research employs a three-stage workshop-based approach. The first stage involves functional decomposition, breaking down mission objectives into system-level needs and identifying key constraints. The second stage explores structured problem-framing techniques to enhance requirement completeness and traceability. The final stage integrates trade-off analysis and iterative validation to resolve conflicts and refine requirements based on feasibility and mission constraints. Through pre- and post-workshop surveys, this approach captures participant feedback and measures the effectiveness of different requirement elicitation techniques. The findings aim to contribute to best practices in early-stage systems engineering for space missions, providing a replicable framework for future small satellite projects.