Electronic Measure and Test Unit 53

Task 4 (P4)
 A plan that clearly details the tests that will
be performed

 What to test

 How to test (step by step)

 How often to test

 Strict outline of what to do

 Specifies the correct method

 States what measurement value to expect

 Efficiency

 Eliminate discrepancies

 Ensures consistency and validity

The flight system software on the Mars Climate Orbiter was
written to take thrust instructions using the metric unit
Newtons(N), while the software on the ground that generated
those instructions used the Imperial measure pound force(lbf).

This mistake could have been avoided by carrying out

additional tests, and comparing the results.
"The problem here was not the
error, it was the failure of
NASA's systems engineering,
and the checks and balances in
our processes to detect the
error. That's why we lost the
spacecraft."
 Imagine you are an Electronics company manager

 You have product specification to meet. For

example a function generator, the peak voltage
must be within validity eg 5%

 You need some way of ensuring that the test

carried out gets the results to meet the
specification

 You have a group of test engineers. How can you

ensure they get valid and consistent
measurements every time?
 Keywords - Specification , calibration, validity, consistency

 Define Validity and consistency

 Explain why both are important parameters when taking

measurements

 Explain what a test specification is

 Why is a test specification important in measurement

taking?

 Use one of the Tasks in P3 as an example to showcase this