scope:

Description of Driving Event:

Flight element testing is very necessary but expensive; program schedule pressures typically mandate performing the minimum set of tests possible. The paper/documentation process associated with troubleshooting problems and/or performing detailed investigations of unexpected test results can significantly add to the time required to perform detailed tests on flight hardware/elements.

In this particular event, a minimum amount of pre-planning (i.e. insufficiently defined test requirements) resulted in power quality test implementation at KSC on the ISS Flight Node 1 that required replanning/rescoping the tests "on the fly" at KSC. Compounding the event was unexpected test results from the Russian to American Converter Unit (RACU) that forced the onsite test team along with support personnel from Boeing Canoga Park to perform detailed troubleshooting which further delayed the formal testing progress. Due to the unplanned, excessive time spent on Node 1 Power Quality Testing, valuable schedule reserves for the Flight Node 1 were lost. In addition, the NASA & Boeing Power AIT were forced to fly technical personnel and hardware to and from KSC, JSC and Boeing CP in order to support the Node 1 testing. Further, at risk was the opportunity to obtain all of the necessary data to both verify the Node 1 power system and to validate the electronic models necessary to verify the end to end power system functionality.