PREFERRED PRACTICE NO. PD-ED-1215.3
RELIABILITY November 29, 1995
PRACTICES PAGE 1 OF 4
CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW
FOR UNMANNED MISSIONS
JET
PROPULSION
LABORATORY
Practice:
Conduct a formal Critical Design Review (CDR) of hardware, software, and firmware at the
subsystem and system levels. Schedule the review prior to the start of subsystem fabrication and
assembly to assure that the design solutions satisfy the performance requirements established in the
development specifications. Establish this review as a standard reliability engineering practice for
flight hardware.
Benefits:
The CDR provides increased assurance that the proposed design, and the planned manufacturing and
test methods and procedures, will result in an acceptable product, with minimal project risk.
Programs That Certified Usage:
The CDR process has been used on all JPL-managed projects and science instrument tasks, including
Ranger, Mariner, Voyager, Galileo, Magellan, Topex/Poseidon, Mars Observer, Microwave Limb
Sounder, Wide Field Planetary Camera, and numerous other science instruments.
Center to Contact for Information:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Implementation Method:
Responsibilities
The responsible project or task manager defines the need to conduct a formal review and initiates
action by contacting the convening authority (generally, the next higher management level). The
convening authority, in consultation with the responsible manager, appoints the review board and a
chair and defines the board charter and schedule.
The CDR ensures that all design considerations have been adequately incorporated and that all
engineering analyses have been completed. Results of engineering model tests are presented to
demonstrate that the hardware and software can be built to perform as planned. In addition, plans
are presented for fabrication and testing, including qualification and acceptance.
The review board, under direction of the chair, conducts the review and prepares
a written report to the responsible manager on the findings and recommendations.
The responsible manager then prepares a written response to the convening
authority addressing the disposition of the review board findings and
recommendations. The convening authority reviews and approves these
dispositions.
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