InSite produces detailed cost and flight rate estimates for new space
transportation concepts based on the planned vehicle architecture and
operation concepts. The patent-pending InSite model projects what
facilities a new concept will require, how much it will cost to operate
and maintain them, and how many people will be required for each
operation. From this, InSite calculates how long it will take to prepare
the system for flight and how much it will cost to fly.
InSite is fundamentally different than models like NAFCOM and COMET/OCM.
InSite produces – rather than requires – the flight rate and
estimates operations costs rather than development costs.
Identify Operations Drivers Early. Developed by a team of
engineers from NASA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and CCT known as
"Vision Spaceport," the model hinges on a comprehensive
correlation database to measure concept characteristics known to heavily
impact flight operations broken down by launch site facility and
function. InSite focuses on design and operations features like
equipment servicing, difficult access, payload integration, flight
reconfiguration, flight/ground interactions and support logistics to
identify, quantify, and rank cost and turnaround time drivers of new
system architectures.
How it Works. InSite divides launch site operations into 12
functions like payload processing, turnaround, launch, landing and
logistics. For each of these functions, the cost algorithm produces
seven operability scores for nonrecurring and recurring costs. The
scores are logarithmically scaled to span from $100,000 per pound to
orbit down to airline-like goals of $1 per pound. The scores are
converted to dollars, labor force sizes, and cycle times (see complete
list of cost estimates at left).
Industry Standard. The InSite model was developed,
calibrated, and used over three years by a broad industry team to
establish a software standard for estimating operations costs early in
the design process. Originally available only to the internal
development team, the model is now offered commercially from CCT. NASA,
Boeing, and Lockheed Martin use the model to assess new system concepts,
prioritize technology investments, conduct subsystem trades, and
formulate detailed operations concepts. A user group is open to all
InSite customers as a forum for participating in continued development
of this standard
