Location

Holiday Inn, Manatee Rooms A & B

Start Date

28-4-1994 2:00 PM

End Date

28-4-1994 5:00 PM

Description

Decision making is often difficult because tradeoffs must be made among competing objectives. In order to make tradeoffs, decision makers must be able to evaluate and measure each aspect of the decision - some quantitative, some qualitative, some very important, and some not so important. Uncertainties and competing interest groups also add to the complexity of decision making.

The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is a multicriterion (or mult (objective) decision support methodology. AHP makes it possible for decision makers to deal with both tangible and intangible factors. Data, thoughts, and intuition are organized in a logical, hierarchical structure. Decision makers can express their understanding and experience with pairwise comparisons about the relative importance" or preference of all relevant factors. AHP allows for revision for sensitivity analyses. The results of an AHP are easily tested for sensitivities to changes in assumptions and judgments.

Current Space Shuttle hypergolic propellant systems servicing is extremely hazardous and performed at three different facilities at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). These facilities are the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF), the Hypergolic Maintenance Facility (HMF), and Launch Complex 39 (LC-39). Propellant systems servicing in the OPF and at LC-39 must be scheduled with processing of other Space Shuttle systems. Serial processing time is incurred in any facility with hazardous operations.

Alternative propellants were considered in a trade study for use on a proposed reaction control system (PCS). Specifically hydrogen peroxide (^Cy/rocket propellant 1 (RP-1) were analyzed versus the currently used nitrogen tetroxide (^O^/monomethylhydrazine (MMH). The purpose of the trade study was to identify impacts or potential savings in facilities, equipment, and processing tasks for the RCS. AHP was used as a significant decision making aid in obtaining the study results.

Comments

Technical Concepts for Future Steps

Session Chairman: W. A. Gaubatz, Director-Program Manager, Delta Clipper Programs, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace

Session Organizer: Alan E. Drysdale, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, Kennedy Space Center

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Apr 28th, 2:00 PM Apr 28th, 5:00 PM

Paper Session III-C - Reaction Control System Propellant Trade Study: An Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Holiday Inn, Manatee Rooms A & B

Decision making is often difficult because tradeoffs must be made among competing objectives. In order to make tradeoffs, decision makers must be able to evaluate and measure each aspect of the decision - some quantitative, some qualitative, some very important, and some not so important. Uncertainties and competing interest groups also add to the complexity of decision making.

The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is a multicriterion (or mult (objective) decision support methodology. AHP makes it possible for decision makers to deal with both tangible and intangible factors. Data, thoughts, and intuition are organized in a logical, hierarchical structure. Decision makers can express their understanding and experience with pairwise comparisons about the relative importance" or preference of all relevant factors. AHP allows for revision for sensitivity analyses. The results of an AHP are easily tested for sensitivities to changes in assumptions and judgments.

Current Space Shuttle hypergolic propellant systems servicing is extremely hazardous and performed at three different facilities at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). These facilities are the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF), the Hypergolic Maintenance Facility (HMF), and Launch Complex 39 (LC-39). Propellant systems servicing in the OPF and at LC-39 must be scheduled with processing of other Space Shuttle systems. Serial processing time is incurred in any facility with hazardous operations.

Alternative propellants were considered in a trade study for use on a proposed reaction control system (PCS). Specifically hydrogen peroxide (^Cy/rocket propellant 1 (RP-1) were analyzed versus the currently used nitrogen tetroxide (^O^/monomethylhydrazine (MMH). The purpose of the trade study was to identify impacts or potential savings in facilities, equipment, and processing tasks for the RCS. AHP was used as a significant decision making aid in obtaining the study results.

 

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