risk assessment of small satellites for tvac test exclusion in rapid ait technique

The satellite assembly, integration and testing (ait) is a logical and interrelated set of qualification and verification tests during satellite assembly and integration. space agencies around the globe are moving towards time reduction in this phase. for that purpose, a modified form of the standard ait, called rapid ait (rait) is being introduced and evaluated for small satellites. in rait, some major tests are excluded at the system level. one of those tests is the thermal vacuum chamber (tvac) test. there exists risk associated with the success of satellite missions given that tests and verifications of important functions are not realized either due to (1) failure of tvac or (2) exclusion of tvac test at the system level. this paper focuses on the risk assessment of mission failure when the tvac test is not considered at the system level. expert judgment-based risk assessment of rait is provided, given that the tvac is excluded. risk assessment of the satellite system considers component failures, loss of performance, delay in project schedule, and associated costs. risk assessment is made about applicable standards.