Build & Validate
From mission to flight
One continuous engineering lifecycle — thirteen steps, 24 detailed stages — and back again. Each stage names what happens, what it delivers, the evidence it leaves, and the capabilities and partners it needs.
Development flow
One lifecycle, mission to learning
Select a step. Each opens its stages, deliverables and evidence; capabilities open their detail.
- 01 / 13
Mission
The customer and mission problem the vehicle must solve.
Mission need
- What happens
- The customer and mission problem the vehicle must solve is defined.
- Deliverable
- Mission need statement
- Evidence
- Reviewed mission concept
Partners: APEX · open to more
Mission
The customer and mission problem the vehicle must solve.
Mission need
- What happens
- The customer and mission problem the vehicle must solve is defined.
- Deliverable
- Mission need statement
- Evidence
- Reviewed mission concept
Partners: APEX · open to more
Core engineering philosophy
Engineer , then Build , then Prove , then Improve
Confidence is earned in a fixed order. What is learned in each pass becomes the next baseline.
- 01
Engineer
Decide what must be true.
- Requirements
- Architecture
- Interfaces
- Analysis
- Simulation
- 02
Build
Make it, and record what was made.
- Detailed design
- Manufacturing
- Assembly
- Firmware
- Software
- Instrumentation
- 03
Prove
Show it with evidence.
- Inspection
- Component testing
- Subsystem testing
- Engine testing
- HIL
- Integrated testing
- 04
Improve
Learn, and change the baseline.
- Compare
- Investigate
- Update model
- Update hardware
- Retest
Development & validation loop
DesignSimulateBuildInstrumentTestCorrelateImprove
Every pass through the loop leaves evidence: a prediction, a measurement, a comparison and a decision. Confidence grows one loop at a time.
Requirements become an architecture and a configuration-controlled design.
- Back to Design
The closed loop in detail
- Requirements
- Design
- Digital model
- Predict
- Build hardware
- Instrument
- Physical test
- Measure
- Compare
- Engineering review
- Model update / hardware update
- Retest
Testing strategy
The confidence ladder
- 08FlightThe final, most expensive evidence.
- 07Vehicle systemThe integrated vehicle passes system-level tests.
- 06Propulsion systemEngine, feed system and control work together.
- 05EngineOperates as an integrated engine to a written objective.
- 04SubsystemWorks with its neighbours across real interfaces.
- 03ComponentPerforms its function on its own.
- 02PartMatches its drawing, with inspection evidence.
- 01MaterialSpecified, characterised and traceable to its certificate.
Confidence should be accumulated progressively through evidence rather than assumed at the final integrated level.
Each rung is cheaper to test than the one above it, and a problem found low on the ladder costs far less to fix. Flight is the last and most expensive evidence, not the first.
Test categories
Eight kinds of evidence
Major categories only. Detailed procedures stay with APEX.
- 01
Component Testing
Individual parts and assemblies against their own requirements.
- 02
Subsystem Testing
Assemblies working together across real interfaces.
- 03
Propulsion Testing
Engine and propulsion-system tests on a qualified stand.
- 04
Hardware-in-the-Loop
Real controllers and firmware against simulated hardware.
- 05
Integrated System Testing
The vehicle tested as one system.
- 06
Ground-System Testing
GSE, ground software and communications end to end.
- 07
Mission Simulation
The full mission rehearsed with people and software.
- 08
Flight Readiness
Evidence reviewed against flight criteria.
Hardware-in-the-loop
Real controllers, simulated world
Firmware and controller hardware can be tested against a Digital Twin or simulator before full-vehicle integration.
- 01Digital Twin / simulatorSimulated
- 02Simulated vehicleSimulated
- 03Sensor / environment simulationSimulated
- 04Real controller hardwareReal hardware / firmware
- 05Real firmwareReal hardware / firmware
- 06Command outputsReal hardware / firmware
- 07Simulated / physical responseSimulated
The response feeds back into the simulator, closing the loop. Controllers and firmware are exercised against faults and edge cases long before they meet an engine or a vehicle.
Virtual to physical
From 100% simulation to flight
- 01100% simulationEverything is a model.
- 02Software-in-the-loopReal flight or control software against models.
- 03Processor-in-the-loopSoftware on the target processor.
- 04Hardware-in-the-loopReal controller hardware and firmware.
- 05Subsystem hardwareReal subsystems on the bench.
- 06Integrated propulsion systemEngine, feed and control together.
- 07Integrated vehicleThe vehicle as one system.
- 08FlightEverything is real.
Digital quality thread
Every part needs evidence.
An unbroken record from requirement to acceptance, so any test result can be tied to exactly what was built. Through the engineering collaboration, Gamyaa AeroSystems contributes aerospace quality intelligence, manufacturing quality and First Article Inspection capabilities to the digital quality thread. No certification is claimed.
- Requirement
- Design
- Drawing
- BOM
- Material
- Part
- Serial number
- Manufacturing
- Inspection
- Assembly
- Software / firmware
- Test configuration
- Test result
- Acceptance