This research involved investigating the deflection efficiency of Rotating Toroidal-Induced Dipole Field Systems for spacecraft radiation shielding, with a specific comparison to static magnetic fields. Numerical simulations model the trajectories of electrons, protons, and high-energy cosmic rays as they interact with a three-coil toroidal system, featuring an induced-dipole component that enhances dynamic shielding. Unlike static…

Proper techno-economic evaluation of hybrid electric powertrain commercial aircraft necessitates a holistic thermal engine model that captures the various behaviors contributing to the output of the overall study. This model needs to encompass not just the typical size, weight, and power characteristics, but also critical factors such as cost and reliability. This paper provides an…

Predicting battery lifetime is essential to ensure the reliability and economic viability of grid-scale energy-storage systems. Traditional accelerated testing methods offer only partial insight into battery degradation, especially when applied at the cell or module level, where they often ignore key system-level interactions. This paper presents an early-stage digital-twin framework developed as part of the…

Originating more than 70 years ago within the US Department of Defense, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) has become one of the most ubiquitous design risk assessment tools in use today. For many, FMEA has outstripped fault tree and other forms of design failure analysis as the primary tool. FMEA has become a standard…

Agile and Predictive-style approaches each have their own pros and cons, managing project requirements in different, often conflicting ways. Applying these styles independently to critical software systems can result in adverse effects. Agile-style requirements management, typically documented in Connextra-style User Stories, offers customers and stakeholders the flexibility to adapt requirements as projects evolve. The highly…

We propose an Organizational Health Assessment (OHA) framework inspired by brief mental health screening tools like the Patient HealthQuestionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized AnxietyDisorder-7 (GAD-7). By conceptualizing organizations as complex adaptive systems, the OHA draws parallels between individual mental health and organizational functioning. We outline the framework’s theoretical foundations, components, and practical implications for research and…

Reliability and resiliency are often treated as distinct system characteristics. However, this approach reinforces unnecessary tradeoffs between the two. A holistic approach to understanding reliability, and resiliency and their relationship to risk ensures safe system operation as increasing complexity threatens our understanding of system safety. This paper reviews the foundations of risk, reliability, and resiliency…

The criticality of security management stems from the complexity of information systems and the high value of assets and services. The diversity in security management solutions makes organizations responsible for choosing an adequate solution and adapting it to their context. However, the complexity makes the implementation process vary further, complicating choices. Moreover, security management solutions…

A system engineering process is described for the development of a novel approach toward mitigating the image degrading effects of optical turbulence in a horizontal atmospheric path. The work concentrates on the early phases of the system engineering process involving advanced modeling and ray-tracing. The critical output products are a detailed system concept specification and…

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) represents a transformative advancement in technology with capabilities to autonomously generate diverse content, such as text, images, simulations, and beyond. While GenAI offers significant operational benefits it also introduces risks, particularly in mission-critical industries such as national defense and space. The emergence of GenAI is similar to the invention of the…