The research addresses the development of a computer-based model to perform concurrent life-cycle analysis for the design of advanced launch system concepts. The motivation for this effort stems from the high cost of manufacturing, operating, and supporting current Earth-to-orbit vehicle designs. Presently, design, manufacturing, operations, and support domains are addressed serially with little integration; thus, results from one area tend to drive up costs in other areas. The lack of a defined set of procedures and functional relationships makes it difficult to trace high cost drivers. The proposed research will develop a methodology and subsequent computer model to concurrently address each of the four domains to reduce the life-cycle cost of the overall system. This work will consist of concurrent life-cycle analysis methodology development, computer model architecture definition, and proof-of-concept model demonstration.
