This talk will wind through the details of history of reliability in the agency, where things are today, and where we need to go tomorrow. It will provide many examples of reliability that are often discounted because they are not tied to some mantra from the past. Furthermore, it will separate us from the red herrings that are ever present based on the misuse of terms and practices in reliability. It will delve into several key subject matter areas that have long been considered the key reliability drivers, such as parts, printed circuit boards, radiation, and workmanship. Finally, it will highlight how the Center and Agency need to change our approach at learning lessons from past experiences to maintain a basis for reliability long into the future.

Biography:

Jesse Leitner has served as the Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Engineer for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center since 2009, responsible for the technical direction for NASA GSFC’s Directorate for Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA). In this role, he develops policies and procedures to ensure technical excellence and engineering integrity for SMA practices across GSFC; coordinates, recommends solutions for, and reports on problems and issues across the Center; and facilitates technical coordination for activities in engineering, SMA, and projects and programs at GSFC.

He was the principal creator of the risk-based SMA organization at GSFC, including organizational structure, new positions, and a range of processes, procedures, and standards involving risk analysis and risk-based engineering approaches. Dr. Leitner has performed aggregate risk assessments for a variety of missions including Parker Solar Probe and James Webb Space Telescope, and he led the team that developed the Science Mission Directorate Standard Mission Assurance Requirements for Payload Classification D (SPD-39) published in April 2021. His current research and application efforts are in risk-based safety and mission assurance.

Dr. Leitner received a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the area of Flight Mechanics and Control, a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech as well, and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.