Enabling & Support
14/03/2025 142views
In brief
ESA/CNES are looking for universities that would like to participate with their students in the ESA/CNES Cost Engineering Challenge. This challenge is organized by the ESA and CNES Cost Engineering Departments and will take place over 1-2 months period time.
The goal is to introduce and make more attractive the Cost Engineering discipline to young engineers through this first-hand experience assessing the cost of a mission.
In-depth
Cost is a major consideration in the definition of technical solutions, therefore cost engineering is a fundamental discipline within systems engineering.
The management of complex leading-edge programmes holds many difficulties. Accurate estimation and control of costs poses a particular challenge, especially when in the business of developing something never before achieved. Cost engineering is the process of putting accurate price tags onto space projects. Part of the process is the analysis of risks and estimation of potential cost impact.
It involves the capture of practical experience in a systematic way in order to develop tools and models that relate the cost of each element to its driving characteristics with due consideration of the context. Cost engineering can thus assist system engineers in trading technical solutions. Cost engineering supports project managers in making predictions of likely costs, or assessing if a quoted price is reasonable. These capabilities can then be applied across a project life cycle to increase its overall cost-effectiveness.
ESA has a centralised Cost Engineering section within the Space Future Engineering Division under the System Engineering Department, which is part of the Agency's Directorate of Technical and Quality Management. Its centralisation ensures a systematic gathering of cost, technical and schedule data for all areas of activity and all user Programmes in support to the preparation of independent cost estimates.
CNES has established the cost estimation section within the two departments responsible for the development of orbital systems and launchers in order to benefit from proximity to the technical teams.
Schedule
### Milestone ### Date ### Description ### Related Links
KO introduction 17/04/2025 KO Introduction of Cost Engineering domain and introduction of the Challenge to Students. Two hours duration (4-6 pm). Online Meeting via Teams
Deadline of deliverables 25/05/2025 Delivery of the excel/working file and PowerPoint presentation. Upload your deliverables
Communication of the down-selected groups 06/06/2025 Communication to the shortlisted groups for presenting their results during the final presentation. Click here to see the shortlisted groups of the Cost Engineering Challenge.Communication to the selected groups will be done via email as well.
Final presentation 13/06/2025 Final Presentation of results by down-selected groups. Half a day duration (2-5 pm). Online Meeting via Teams
Winner announcement 13/06/2025 Announcement of winners. Same day of the Final presentation Click here to see the winners of the Cost Engineering Challenge.
Who can apply?
In order to participate in the Cost Engineering Challenge, students must fulfil the following criteria:
minimum 18 years old;
enrolled as a MSc (BSc completed) or PhD student in a university (not graduating before the challenge);
studying for an Engineering or Scientific degree;
Note that priority will be given to applicants who have less than 2 years of professional experience.
ESA is committed to achieving diversity and creating an inclusive professional environment. To this end, we welcome applications from all eligible students irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. ESA strongly encourages inclusiveness within its programmes.
Additional criterion for being eligible for the prize as per ESA Education Office regulation (participation in the ESA Academy's Concurrent Engineering Workshop as cost engineer specialist):
be a citizen of an ESA Member State, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania and/or Slovakia;
The above criterion is only applicable for the winners of the Challenge and their eligibility for the prize. It does not exclude participation in the challenge.
How to apply
Application form QR
The students participating in the Cost Engineering Challenge shall form groups of maximum 2 people. Each member of the team shall:
All answers should be in English (except academic records if not available).
The deadline for applications to participate in the Cost Engineering Challenge 2025 is 13 April 2025, 23:59 CET.
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria followed for the selection of the winners is based on the following weighted markings:
Criteria Weight
1. Completeness of the estimate (cost breakdown structure and coverage of the questions in the assignment) 30%
2. Estimating process: logic of assumptions made, understanding of methods/models/references used 30%
3. Presentation of the estimate (quality of Excel + Power Point) 20%
4. Originality & viability of proposed cost reduction option(s) 20%
Prize
The winners will be awarded with the opportunity to participate in one of the next Concurrent Engineering Workshop provided by the ESA Academy (Q3-Q4 2025 date TBC). This one-week training will allow students to learn what is concurrent engineering and why it is beneficial to investigate the preliminary design of a space mission or system and to gain direct experience of system engineering design.
Selected students are sponsored by ESA. The sponsorship covers accommodation and meals as well as up to 300 € for travelling to ESEC-Galaxia in Transinne, Belgium.
Cost Engineering Challenge Exercise
Please find attached the proposed Exercise for the Challenge. Document will be available at the KO Meeting.
Cost Engineering Challenge Deliverables
Upload your deliverables
Please submit your deliverables here.
The deadline for submitting your deliverables is 25 May 2025, 23:59 CET.
Point of Contact
For technical issues with the website, submission of applications, documents, etc., please contact:
ESA: beatriz.sanchezdelavilla@esa.int
For other question related to the content, methodology, process, etc. of the challenge and cost estimate exercise, please contact:
ESA: beatriz.sanchezdelavilla@esa.int // Michel.van.pelt@esa.int
CNES: frederic.moll@cnes.fr // yoann.moguer@cnes.fr
Organisers
Cost Engineering Challenge Organisers