Pierce Rubenstein EIT’s Post

On our NASA Human Lander Challenge project, I learned the hard way that reliability is not a checkbox at the end. Early on, our team moved fast and trusted the model. Then, a small change in sealant material meant our thermal assumptions changed.   Our test plan still pointed to the old model. If we had followed that plan, our results would have been wrong and our schedule would have slipped. We caught it because I kept a simple habits list. I tied each requirement to one test. I kept pass and fail numbers in one place. I updated the checklist any time the model changed. I also ran short reviews of control logic and sensor plans every week. When we found the mismatch, we fixed the test list in minutes, not days.   Since then, I front load reliability. Plan for TVAC early so cryogenic risks are minimized. Ask for sensor access in the design so we do not guess later. Do dry runs to check operations and clock sync. Write down what we will accept before we touch hardware. These steps sound simple, and they are. But they keep the final gate calm and quiet. I believe good habits beat heroics. They protect the team and the schedule.   Question: How do you front load reliability without slowing sprints? #SpaceSystems #Reliability #VandV #ThermalEngineering #Cryogenics