Transcript Slide 1

Technology Readiness Levels
TRLs
Andrew Faulkner
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
1
Purpose
1. To identify where we are in the long term
development cycle of the SKA technology
2. To identify ‘missing’ development work
3. To convince ourselves and the international
community that we are ‘on-track’
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
2
NASA TRL definitions
Tech. Readiness Level
Description
1. Basic principles observed and
reported
This is the lowest "level" of technology maturation. At this level, scientific research begins to be translated into applied research
and development.
2. Technology concept and/or
application formulated
Once basic physical principles are observed, then at the next level of maturation, practical applications of those characteristics
can be 'invented' or identified. At this level, the application is still speculative: there is not experimental proof or detailed analysis
to support the conjecture.
3. Analytical and experimental critical
function and/or characteristic proof of
concept
At this step in the maturation process, active research and development (R&D) is initiated. This must include both analytical
studies to set the technology into an appropriate context and laboratory-based studies to physically validate that the analytical
predictions are correct. These studies and experiments should constitute "proof-of-concept" validation of the
applications/concepts formulated at TRL 2.
4. Component and/or breadboard
validation in laboratory environment
Following successful "proof-of-concept" work, basic technological elements must be integrated to establish that the "pieces" will
work together to achieve concept-enabling levels of performance for a component and/or breadboard. This validation must be
devised to support the concept that was formulated earlier, and should also be consistent with the requirements of potential
system applications. The validation is relatively "low-fidelity" compared to the eventual system: it could be composed of ad hoc
discrete components in a laboratory.
5. Component and/or breadboard
validation in relevant environment
At this level, the fidelity of the component and/or breadboard being tested has to increase significantly. The basic technological
elements must be integrated with reasonably realistic supporting elements so that the total applications (component-level, subsystem level, or system-level) can be tested in a 'simulated' or somewhat realistic environment.
6. System/subsystem model or
prototype demonstration in a relevant
environment
A major step in the level of fidelity of the technology demonstration follows the completion of TRL 5. At TRL 6, a representative
model or prototype system or system - which would go well beyond ad hoc, 'patch-cord' or discrete component level
breadboarding - would be tested in a relevant environment. At this level, if the only 'relevant environment' is the environment of
space, then the model/prototype must be demonstrated in space.
7. System prototype demonstration
in a real environment
TRL 7 is a significant step beyond TRL 6, requiring an actual system prototype demonstration in a site environment. The
prototype should be at a representative scale of the planned operational system and the demonstration must take place at a site
with similar characteristics to the target site.
8. Actual system completed and
'qualified' through test and
demonstration
In almost all cases, this level is the end of true 'system development' for most technology elements. This might include
integration of new technology into an existing system.
9. Actual system proven through
successful actual operations
In almost all cases, the end of last 'bug fixing' aspects of true 'system development'. This might include integration of new
technology into an existing system. This TRL does not include planned product improvement of ongoing or reusable systems.
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
3
TRLs mapped to SKA timeline
SKA in operation
SKA Phase 1
Target for AAVP
PrepSKA & SKADS
SKADS
Mostly pre-SKADS work
Full System Test
& Operations
System/Subsystem
Development
Technology
Demonstration
Technology
Development
Research to Prove
Feasibility
Basic Technology
Research
Ref: NASA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_Readiness_Level
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
4
Review undertaken
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
5
DS3 TRLs
TRL: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DS3-T1 Phase Transfer:
optical tx
terminal equipment
Analogue fibre data links
COTS Data links
Component data links:
DFB laser based link subsystems
Components for DFB laser subsystems
10 Gbps 1550 nm SMF subsystems
Components for 10 Gbps 1550 nm SMF link
DS3-T2 Backend Processing
Correlator
Software architecture
DS3-T3 Design of SKACost tool and simulation
Conceptual design of SKA
Station level beamforming
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
6
TRL: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DS4-T1
LNA
InP
Si-Ge
Si
GaAs
ADC
InP
Si
DS4-T2
DS4-T3
Digitisation require’ts
RFI algorithms:
DS4-T4
Antenna:
Vivaldi
non-Vivaldi
array configuration
Differential LNA + matching
DS4-T5
Beamforming:
Analogue
Photonic
Digital algorithms
Digital hardware
DS4-T6
Mechanical Const’n:
Array construction
Cooling
Electronics construction
Material choice
Analogue sig. cond.
RFI Shielding
Clock dist’n :
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Excision
Detection
Spectral filtering
Spatial filtering
Single channel filtering
Station level
Board level
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
7
DS5 & 6 TRLs
TRL: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DS5-T1 Array performance
DS5-T2 Low cost manufacturability
Tile electronics
Digital processing
Array material choice
DS6
System Clock distribution
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
8
Observations
• SKADS is where we would expect:
TRL 3 – 6
• The lowest TRLs typically require large implementations
• There will be some ‘normalising’ of the figures
• The relationship of today’s design and SKA is not clear
enough
But……..
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
9
System related TRLs
We need to know/show system parameters are met e.g.:
• System temperature
• Dynamic range performance
• Cost!
• Beam purity
• Polarisation
• AAs meet Power requirements
• etc
This is tricky!
Need to convert system level work
into technical performance measures
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
10
Over this final year of SKADS
We will be refining the TRL of
System and Components
Please keep commenting …..
4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon
Technology Readiness Levels
Andrew Faulkner
11