report

Cost and Schedule Policy

Overall verdict: PASS
Design signature: 837095c6390ee9493e66d5de27386b78d597bbc34ba6eebbff3692c10685768f
Scope: Concept-to-commissioning program estimate for one flight observatory, its qualification articles, integration and test, ground-segment preparation, launch service, and initial on-orbit commissioning.
Maturity boundary: Pre-Phase-A rough-order-of-magnitude planning estimate. Values are internal planning allowances, not supplier quotes, independently validated cost estimates, or an approved program baseline.
Estimate method: Bottom-up work-breakdown planning allowances with three-point uncertainty ranges and separately visible management reserve.
Price basis: 2026 AUD.

This is a program-framing ROM. It is not a supplier quote, an independently validated cost estimate, or an approved funding or schedule baseline.

Cost range

Case	WBS base (M AUD)	Reserve	Reserve (M AUD)	Total (M AUD)
`low`	`544.00`	`15.0%`	`81.60`	`625.60`
`planning`	`809.00`	`25.0%`	`202.25`	`1011.25`
`high`	`1218.00`	`40.0%`	`487.20`	`1705.20`

Cost work breakdown

ID	Work package	Released subsystems	Basis type	Low / planning / high (M AUD)	Owner
`CST-01`	Program management, systems engineering, safety, mission assurance, and product assurance	cross-cutting	`engineering_judgement`	`45.0 / 65.0 / 95.0`	program manager
`CST-02`	Optical payload and detector development	optics, detector	`engineering_judgement`	`90.0 / 140.0 / 220.0`	payload lead
`CST-03`	Structures and deployment mechanisms	structures_and_mechanisms	`engineering_judgement`	`35.0 / 55.0 / 90.0`	mechanical lead
`CST-04`	Thermal-control subsystem	thermal_control	`engineering_judgement`	`20.0 / 32.0 / 50.0`	thermal lead
`CST-05`	Electrical power subsystem	power	`engineering_judgement`	`18.0 / 28.0 / 45.0`	electrical power lead
`CST-06`	Propulsion subsystem	propulsion	`engineering_judgement`	`15.0 / 25.0 / 40.0`	propulsion lead
`CST-07`	Attitude determination and control subsystem	adcs	`engineering_judgement`	`20.0 / 32.0 / 50.0`	GNC lead
`CST-08`	Command and data handling subsystem	cdh	`engineering_judgement`	`15.0 / 24.0 / 38.0`	avionics lead
`CST-09`	RF communications subsystem	communications	`engineering_judgement`	`18.0 / 28.0 / 45.0`	RF lead
`CST-10`	Flight software and FDIR	flight_software	`engineering_judgement`	`25.0 / 40.0 / 65.0`	flight software lead
`CST-11`	Assembly, integration, verification, GSE, and facilities	cross-cutting	`planning_allowance`	`45.0 / 70.0 / 110.0`	AIV manager
`CST-12`	Ground segment and mission-operations preparation	cross-cutting	`planning_allowance`	`18.0 / 30.0 / 50.0`	mission operations manager
`CST-13`	Launch service, mission-specific launch integration, and insurance allowance	cross-cutting	`planning_allowance`	`180.0 / 240.0 / 320.0`	launch services manager

Schedule

Baseline launch readiness: month 72.0.
Unallocated schedule reserve: 9.0 months (12.5% of the baseline development span).
Commitment launch milestone: month 81.0.
Commissioning acceptance: month 84.0.

Phase	Months	Critical path	Predecessors	Owner	Exit evidence
`SCH-01` Requirements maturation and system definition	`0-9`	yes	none	chief systems engineer	System requirements review closes the mission, interface, verification, cost, and schedule baselines for preliminary design.
`SCH-02` Preliminary design and technology-risk retirement	`9-21`	yes	SCH-01	chief engineer	Preliminary design review closes subsystem allocations, credible interfaces, breadboard evidence, and long-lead release authority.
`SCH-03` Detailed design and engineering-model release	`21-39`	yes	SCH-02	chief engineer	Critical design review releases controlled drawings, software architecture, procurement data, and engineering-model configurations.
`SCH-04` Engineering and qualification articles	`39-54`	yes	SCH-03	qualification manager	Qualification readiness review confirms representative articles, facilities, GSE, procedures, and non-conformity control are ready.
`SCH-05` Flight manufacture and observatory integration	`54-66`	yes	SCH-04	AIV manager	Integrated flight observatory completes functional, alignment, workmanship, and configuration audits before acceptance testing.
`SCH-06` Environmental acceptance and launch readiness	`66-72`	yes	SCH-05	mission assurance manager	Acceptance campaign, end-to-end mission rehearsal, shipment review, and launch readiness review close without open flight-critical waivers.
`SCH-07` Launch campaign and commissioning	`81-84`	no	SCH-06	mission director	Launch, early operations, deployment, calibration, and commissioning acceptance establish the released nominal-science configuration.

Milestones

ID	Milestone	Month	Phase
`MS-SRR`	System requirements review complete	`9`	`SCH-01`
`MS-PDR`	Preliminary design review complete	`21`	`SCH-02`
`MS-CDR`	Critical design review complete	`39`	`SCH-03`
`MS-QRR`	Qualification readiness review complete	`54`	`SCH-04`
`MS-FIR`	Flight integration complete	`66`	`SCH-05`
`MS-LRR`	Launch readiness review complete	`72`	`SCH-06`
`MS-LAUNCH`	Commitment launch milestone	`81`	`SCH-07`
`MS-COMMISSION`	Commissioning acceptance complete	`84`	`SCH-07`

Dominant cost and schedule risks

ID	Risk	Cost WBS	Schedule phases	Owner	Treatment
`RSK-01`	Primary-mirror fabrication yield or detector procurement extends the payload critical path and forces replacement hardware.	CST-02	SCH-02, SCH-03, SCH-04	payload lead	Retire mirror-process and detector-supply risks before PDR, preserve qualification spares, and gate flight procurement on representative evidence.
`RSK-02`	Deployment mechanism life testing exposes release, synchronization, routing, or retained-capture redesign.	CST-03, CST-11	SCH-03, SCH-04	mechanical lead	Build representative mechanism articles early, test across thermal extremes, and preserve schedule for redesign before flight manufacture.
`RSK-03`	Fine-pointing and wheel-induced jitter exceed the optical line-of-sight allocation during integrated testing.	CST-07, CST-11	SCH-02, SCH-03, SCH-04	GNC lead	Add disturbance testing and integrated structural-optical correlation before CDR and retain isolation design authority.
`RSK-04`	Environmental or end-to-end acceptance failures require observatory disassembly and repeat testing.	CST-01, CST-11	SCH-05, SCH-06	mission assurance manager	Use qualification articles, incremental workmanship tests, controlled non-conformity closure, and explicit test-repeat allowances.
`RSK-05`	Ground-station access, licensing, or interface work differs from the representative two-site CONOPS.	CST-09, CST-12	SCH-02, SCH-03, SCH-05	mission operations manager	Secure network agreements and regulatory strategy before PDR and validate RF and mission-control interfaces with representative ground equipment.
`RSK-06`	Launch-service contracting, rideshare allocation, or mission-specific integration differs from the internal Ariane 6 allowance.	CST-13	SCH-02, SCH-05, SCH-06	launch services manager	Obtain provider budgetary data during formulation, preserve interface-change control, and carry cost and schedule reserves until contract signature.
`RSK-07`	Radiation-tolerant avionics lead times or obsolescence force C&DH, power, RF, or software rework.	CST-05, CST-08, CST-09, CST-10	SCH-02, SCH-03, SCH-05	avionics lead	Freeze the approved-parts strategy early, procure engineering lots before CDR, and maintain compatible alternates.
`RSK-08`	Specialised cleanroom, thermal-vacuum, vibration, acoustic, shock, or optical-alignment facilities are unavailable at the planned dates.	CST-11	SCH-03, SCH-04, SCH-06	AIV manager	Place provisional facility reservations during preliminary design and qualify alternate facilities and transport plans before CDR.

Explicit exclusions

Routine science operations after commissioning and the five-year operations workforce.
Financing costs, foreign-exchange movement, escalation beyond the 2026 price base, taxes, and organisation-wide overhead not allocated to the program.
Supplier termination liability, launch-delay storage beyond the schedule reserve, and replacement of a lost flight article or launch vehicle.

Checks

Check	Result
`cost_schedule_policy_schema_supported`	PASS
`cost_schedule_basis_matches_released_program`	PASS
`cost_schedule_upstream_release_evidence_passes`	PASS
`cost_wbs_ranges_and_reserves_are_complete`	PASS
`cost_wbs_covers_every_released_subsystem_once`	PASS
`schedule_logic_reserve_and_subsystem_coverage_close`	PASS
`schedule_milestones_match_phase_and_commitment_boundaries`	PASS
`cost_schedule_risk_drivers_are_owned_and_traceable`	PASS