Chapter 5 Robust Performance Tailoring with Tuning - SSL - MIT

Chapter 7
Conclusions and Recommendations
7.1 Thesis Summary
Space-based precision optical structures, such as the telescopes in NASA’s Origins
missions, require high levels of performance to meet science goals. The optics on
interferometers, such as the Space Interferometry Mission and the Terrestrial Planet
Finder, must meet positional tolerances on the order of nanometers. To further
complicate matters, it is not practical to fully test these systems on the ground due
to large differences between the testing and operational environments. As a result,
models and simulations are expected to play a significant role in the design and testing
of these structures. Relying on models to predict future performance is risky as there
are many sources of uncertainty that can lead to errors in the model predictions.
The design of such high-performance, high-uncertainty systems is challenging because
early in the design cycle, when there is maximum design flexibility, the uncertainty
is very high. It is often difficult to find a design that can compensate for all of the
uncertainty in the model and still meet performance requirements. The uncertainty
space is greatly reduced once the design is finalized and hardware is built. However,
it may become apparent during testing that the hardware does not meet performance
requirements, and only limited adjustments are possible without incurring high cost
and/or launch delays. This thesis provides a solution to the problem of system design
for high performance and high uncertainty systems that attempts to balance this
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