Requirements are NOT specifications. Requirements are what is required for the project to succeed, while specifications are specifically what your designed system was able to accomplish. Requirements should be carefully considered to make sure we are achieving what is required for the project to succeed while not wasting time trying to reach goals that are not critical to meet the project goals.
Example:
Requirement: The thermocouple on my liquid rocket shall measure between -183C and 600C.
Specification: The thermocouple I picked out measures between -150C and 800C.
My requirement defined what I needed to measure to accomplish my goal. I picked a thermocouple with specifications that met (and exceeded) the requirement. This does not mean I change my requirement! I met the requirement with my specification.
Additional notes on specific requirements should be added below the requirements table.
NOTE: Requirements should not be changed because your designed system performed better or worse than the requirement. Requirements should only be changed if a system parameter was not sufficient to achieve the project mission, or the requirement can be relaxed as it is not project critical.
NOTE: Requirements should drive part choice, not be a part choice (unless specifically required to meet a project's goals)
Example: I need to be able to measure my altitude to 10k feet. The MPL3115A2 is capable of measuring up to 30k. I will use this altimeter.
Example of specific case for project goal: The goal of this rocket is to test this specific body tube from this specific manufacturer.
Example Requirements are shown here for VEGA.
| Category | Requirement | Description / Rationale | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Hardware | Receiver shall support incoming and outgoing data from a 900MHz XBee SX / XBee Pro SX | These XBee's are the wireless transmitters used in the flight computer (SPICA) | |
| Data Transfer | Receiver shall export data over Ethernet / RJ45 | Launch is standardizing data over Ethernet in conjunction with the MSD DAQ and the Ground Station | |
| Data Storage | Receiver shall copy data received from the Flight Computer to local non-volatile memory | Data should not be lost in the event of a failure of the ground station | |
| Power Supply | Receiver shall run on voltages ranging from 4.5 to 12V | ||
| Form Factor | Ground Receiver shall be able to function independent from the Ground Station | ||
| Indicators | Ground Receiver shall have visual indication of connection to the Flight Computer |