CLEMENTINE: New Directions and Perspectives for One-of-a-Kind Spacecraft Missions

CLEMENTINE represents a new paradigm in spacecraft systems by incorporating advanced, lightweight, non-spaceflight and nonheritage technologies as major and critical components of the payload, the spacecraft hardware, and the spacecraft software subsystems. The program's success in applying and transferring these low-cost and highly capable technologies to space applications was based on sound developmental practices that are applicable to other programs. This paper examines the management and engineering approaches used for CLEMENTINE, discusses the methodology to assess, use, and test these approaches, and provides conclusions on the strengths and weaknesses of the development approach. The paper provides an insight into the common elements of the development approach that may be applicable to other smallsatellite missions developed under the new genre of small, cost-capped, fast-paced, and focused missions.