# New Space Engineering Design: Characterization of Key Drivers
## 2 Methodology
### Identification of Key Concepts  
At this point, this study aims to provide sufficient background on the New Space landscape by identifying key aspects of engineering relevance. This process was essential to outlining the context necessary for evaluating or developing space technologies. To clarify the terminology used throughout this work, the following definitions apply:  
* Design drivers: These are fundamental goals (e.g., cost and reliability) and constraints that influence the overall system architecture and development. These factors originate from the external system environment and are not necessarily technical in nature, yet they impact system design throughout its entire lifecycle [17];
* Design enablers: These are design choices and solutions that are implemented in terms of strategies, tools, enabling technologies, or processes that meet one or more drivers. These enablers may originate from engineering domains outside the traditional space sector and are adapted to meet space-specific needs.  
The screening criteria for identifying relevant design drivers and associated enablers focused primarily on their innovative potential within the context of space system design. Once a document was selected, it was carefully reviewed, and key concepts were extracted through in-depth reading. These concepts were listed as keywords or key expressions, depending on the breadth of their meaning and coverage, and recorded in a dedicated column of the same Microsoft Excel worksheet used for document organization. This process allowed the authors to assign each entry the designation of either design driver or design enabler, based on its nature and role.  
To ensure a representative overview of the New Space scenario, the analysis focused on applications with concrete market significance, prioritizing technologies with evident commercial intent. Selection was further guided by each element's relevance to the engineering evaluation of space system design. Where available, this study referenced the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) indicated by the source. While TRLs may vary depending on mission-specific implementation, they generally correlate with the extent of validation achieved [18]. In general, technologies at very low maturity (i.e., TRL \(<\) 5), typically limited to conceptual development and early ground testing, were not considered. However, emerging solutions such as ISRU and quantum technologies were also mentioned due to their growing strategic and innovation value, which suggests a substantial likelihood of near-term applicability. These cases were carefully included to illustrate the significant innovation introduced by the New Space paradigm. Moreover, recent advancements in adjacent industries, particularly in material science and manufacturing, have enabled the development of system concepts that were once extremely challenging.  
The analysis excludes several sectors of the space industry, such as ground segment infrastructure, to maintain a focused perspective on the design and development of spacecraft systems (also referred to as in-space systems). The impact of market-driven strategies is particularly evident in the design, production, and deployment of spacecraft, especially satellites and their applications. Through cascading design requirements, these commercial dynamics extend their impact to the development of spacecraft subsystems, equipment, and components.