Tools for Evolutionary Acquisition: A Study of Multi-Attribute Tradespace Exploration (MATE) Applied to the Space-Based Radar (SBR)
Abstract
The Multi-Attribute Tradespace Exploration (MATE) process was applied to the Space-Based Radar (SBR), a space system under study by the United States Air Force. A system-level model of possible SBR architectures was created using data and analysis from previous high-level studies. Competing designs were evaluated through MATE's universal utility metric. The MATE model was qualitatively compared against a high-level design study and MATE's advantages were noted, specifically its ability to trace modeling assumptions and present a holistic view of the space of competing designs. A quantitative comparison revealed significant differences between MATE's recommended system design and that of the comparison high-level study. The potential for a simplification of the MATE method was explored through the use of several approximations to reveal user preferences. Comparisons were made through both a proportional utility loss metric and a general Spearman's Rho rank order correlation. Using these measures it was shown that while a linear or subjective approximation to utility curves resulted in excessive errors, approximation to weighting relationships did not. Finally, MATE's potential applicability to the Air Force acquisition process was studied. In general MATE was shown to be useful to any acquisition effort that derives its benefit from a networked approach and is of sufficient technical complexity as to make tradeoff decisions opaque to casual analysis. Specifically, MATE was shown to be useful in the analysis of alternatives as well as an aid to early milestone sourcing decisions. (48 figures, 40 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 31, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA416698
Entities
People
- Timothy J. Spaulding
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology