Systems Engineering for Astronomical Telescopes

This Tutorial Text provides an introduction to systems engineering principles, tools, and practices as applied to astronomical systems. Written for engineers, scientists, and managers, it is intended to aid in the transition from a discipline specialist to a systems engineer. Topics include interface control, the lifecycle model, the role of trade studies, and the flow and allocation of requirements. Particular attention is paid to deriving the law of error propagation because it is the basis for formal performance budgeting and estimating the probability of success. Several examples supplement this derivation. The book concludes with a case study for a space science mission.