Original Date: 04/20/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

ITT Aerospace/Communications Division (A/CD) developed the Failure Reporting, Analysis, and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) for Electro Optical Space Projects as a means of documenting, analyzing, tracking, and resolving incidents that occur on space projects. This dynamic system provides the company with flexibility to perform efficient failure reporting, disposition, and closure.

The process begins with an incident (e.g., out of specification condition, system failure) which any employee can document by manually recording it on a pre-numbered incident report (IR) form. ITT A/CD chose this method to ensure that immediate documentation could not be hindered by a computer failure. The flight hardware risk is assessed, and a floor disposition allows testing to continue to minimize test downtime. The information on the IR is typically entered into a computer database within 24 hours of the incident. The company troubleshoots each incident to determine its root cause (e.g., instrument performance, software, test equipment, setup, human error), determines the corrective action, and then closes out the IR. Depending on the results, a retest or rebuild may be required.

The FRACAS for Electro Optical Space Projects provides ITT A/CD with various tracking information and trend data. Among these are open IRs, mean time between failures (MTBF), cycle times, test phases, incident sources, second-tier analysis, and corrective actions. Since implementing this system, ITT A/CD reduced its Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) incidents from 803 (unit SN03) to 168 (unit SN07). Trend data is often used by the company to determine process improvements, reduce cost on existing projects, and bid on new projects.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.