Tailoring a ConOps for NASA LSP Integrated Operations - 27th Annual INCOSE International Symposium (IS 2017)

Sep 12, 2026

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Annual INCOSE International Symposium (IS 2017) paper detailing how an aerospace Concept of Operations (ConOps) can be tailored for NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) at Kennedy Space Center. It explains why ConOps has been underused in LSP, outlines research of common ConOps formats across the industry, and converts that research into an engineering template. The work analyzes key ConOps terminology, contrasts ConOps versus OpsCon definitions, and derives a working ConOps scope aligned with spacecraft integration operations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time6 min

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Examination of a Concept of Operations

Terminology

27th Annual INCOSE International Symposium (IS 2017) Adelaide, Australia, July 15-20, 2017 Tailoring a ConOps for NASA LSP Integrated Operations “Skip” Clark V. Owens III NASA-LSP Kennedy Space Center Mail Code: VA-G2 Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 1+321-867-293 [skip.owens-1@NASA.gov](skip.owens-1@NASA.gov) Published and used by INCOSE with permission . An integral part of the Systems Engineering process is the creation of a Concept of Operations (ConOps) for a given system, with the ConOps initially established early in the system design process and evolved as the system definition and design matures. As Integration Engineers in NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), our job is to manage the interface requirements for all the robotic space missions that come to our Program for a Launch Service. LSP procures and manages a launch service from one of our many commercial Launch Vehicle Contractors (LVCs) and these commercial companies are then responsible for developing the Interface Control Document (ICD), the verification of the requirements in that document, and all the services pertaining to integrating the spacecraft and launching it into orbit. However, one of the systems engineering tools that have not been employed within LSP to date is a Concept of Operations. The goal of this paper is to research the format and content that goes into these various aerospace industry ConOps and tailor the format and content into template form, so the template may be used as an engineering tool for spacecraft integration with future LSP procured launch services. This tailoring effort was performed as the author’s final Masters Project in the Spring of 2016 for the Stevens Institute of Technology and modified for publication with INCOSE (Owens, 2016) . Examination of a Concept of Operations Terminology The first step in tailoring an established standard or body of work for a specific task is to completely understand the original intent of that material. What is a Concept of Operations? The first recorded use of a ConOps document was in the paper by R.J. Lano, "A Structured Approach for Operational Concept Formulation" TRW SS-80-002, TRW Defense and Space Systems Group in 1980 (IEEE, 2007). With over 36 years of ConOps history under our collective belts it would only be logical to conclude that the term ConOps has a very universally accepted meaning. However, if you ask systems engineers today for a definition of a ConOps you will geta wide variety of responses, with each individual answer heavily slanted toward the type of work or systems with which each particular systems engineer is working. Sometimes a single diagram will be referred to as a ConOps and other times a rather lengthy and detailed document. NASA's Lifecycle, Processes and Systems Engineering course (APPEL-LPSE, 2011) describes an Operations Concept as having a variety of common names at each level: At the System Level: • Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Document • Operational Concept Document • Context of Operations Statement At the Configuration Level: • User's Manual • Operator's Manual At the Component Level: • Design Description There are many "official" definitions of a Concept of Operations, so this paper will start by acknowledging these definitions and will then establish a working definition for the specific ConOps that is being tailored for the Launch Services Program. There are two main terms that are associated with a Concept of Operations that are often used interchangeably: • Concept of Operations (ConOps) • Operational Concept (OpsCon) In reality, these two terms have very different meanings and these two distinct meanings from ISO/EEC/IEEE 29148 referenced below are used consistently by ANSI/AIAA, ISO/DEC/IEEE, and the Department of Defense (as cited in Walden, 2015) . ConOps description according to the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook Version 4 (as cited in Walden, 201

FAQs

What problem does the paper address for NASA LSP regarding ConOps?

NASA LSP had not used a Concept of Operations as a systems engineering tool to date, so the paper focuses on researching and tailoring a ConOps approach for LSP integration needs.

What is the paper’s main goal for this tailoring effort?

To research aerospace ConOps formats and contents and adapt them into a reusable template that supports spacecraft integration with future LSP procured launch services.

How does the paper distinguish ConOps from OpsCon?

ConOps emphasizes operational aspects and intent at the organization level, while OpsCon is described as a user-oriented concept focused on what the system will do and why, from the user viewpoint.

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Jiven