Space system engineering is a complex activity, spanning multiple phases and involving different stakeholders using a variety of engineering approaches and tools. ESA has been investing in Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) research for many years, developing different MBSE frameworks and Domain Specific Tools (DSTs). Recently, a broader need has been recognized to focus the MBSE efforts on semantic interoperability and associated model integration. This has led to the Model Based for System Engineering (MB4SE) initiative, aiming to guide the development of a common Space Systems Ontology (SSO) [SSO] and a Model Based Engineering Hub (MBEH) [MBEH] to support both aspects. The objective of the MBEH is to enable integration and exchange of engineering data originating from different DSTs along the space systems engineering lifecycle, based on common semantics defined through the SSO.

The main objective of the ESEP is to provide a federated, web-based User Interface (UI) layer on top of the MBEH infrastructure, where stakeholders are able to integrate and transfer data across DSTs by using the underlying hub infrastructure. The MBEH is developed in a dedicated project, which is split in two phases as described in [MBEH]. The first phase shall elaborate a set of system engineering use cases, elicit new and consolidate existing MBEH requirements, and produce an MBEH technical specification. The MBEH detailed design and development shall take place in the second phase. Due to various programmatic reasons, the MBEH activity started after the ESEP activity, and it is expected that the first phase of the MBEH activity will end close to or after completion of the ESEP activity. As a result, no assumptions on the existence or the design of the MBEH can be made for the ESEP design and development. The approach agreed with the Agency for the ESEP activity is to consider the ESEP as a complete system by itself, without making any assumptions about the underlying MBEH infrastructure. Further, depending on the MBEH technical specification elaborated in the MBEH activity, the overall ESEP software or individual components would be reused fully or partially, and evolved further under the MBEH activity through the consortium where SpaceCube is responsible for the MBEH implementation.