From project management to planetary defense: implementation of a systems engineering approach using integrated product and process development (IPPD) alaa adnan

Thirty-four participants from seventeen countries participated in the Planetary Defense Team Project at the International Space University's 2015 Space Studies Program (ISU-SSP15) to find solutions for short-term warning cosmic threats. The team spent nine weeks working intensively on departmental and lecture activities alongside this project. Space agencies and institutions around the world have discussed cosmic threats, including planetary defense. However, not enough attention has been given to a potentially catastrophic event; what has been done is limited to possible long-term cosmic threats. Having no specific pathway on how to tackle this global challenging task at the beginning of the project, the Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) methodology was used to enable the team to identify main elements of the project, starting from developing the mission statement, needs and requirements, and to proposing solutions to planetary defense. These elements include detection and tracking, deflection, collaboration, outreach and education, evacuation and recovery.