Phase gate reviews are the formal checkpoints in a space program lifecycle. Each gate verifies that the mission is ready to proceed to the next phase. The standard gates for most programs are: Mission Concept Review (MCR), System Requirements Review (SRR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), Test Readiness Review (TRR), and Flight Readiness Review (FRR).
The most common mistake in phase gate reviews is treating them as presentations rather than technical assessments. A review board is not there to hear a summary of your work. They are there to evaluate whether the evidence supports readiness to proceed. Every item in the review package should be traceable to a specific entrance or exit criterion.
For SRR, the key criteria are: mission objectives are defined and measurable, system-level requirements are derived from objectives, a preliminary concept of operations exists, and key risks are identified with mitigation plans. The common gap is requirements without clear verification methods — every requirement at SRR should have at least a proposed approach to verification.
For PDR, the evidence expands: subsystem requirements are allocated from system requirements, preliminary budgets (mass, power, data rate, link) are established with margin, the requirements traceability matrix shows complete flow-down from mission objectives to subsystem specs, risk mitigations are in progress, and the preliminary design shows how each requirement will be met.
For CDR, the bar is highest: detailed designs are complete, budget margins meet minimum thresholds (typically 10-20% depending on program phase), all requirements have assigned verification methods and responsible engineers, the test plan covers every requirement, and the manufacturing/integration plan is reviewed.
SMAD Portal tracks phase gate readiness as a dashboard. Each gate criterion maps to data in the system: requirement coverage, budget margins, risk status, and gate item checklist completion. When the review board asks "are we ready for CDR?", the answer is not an opinion — it is data.