Critical Design Review Recap

For this week’s blog post, we’re highlighting the third major milestone in the PRESET mission: the Critical Design Review (CDR). 

What is CDR?

Held on May 8th, this year’s CDR was a 7-hour presentation delivered to members of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and several other CUBICS teams. Its purpose was to demonstrate that the proposed satellite design meets all mission and science requirements and can be completed within the project’s cost and schedule constraints. As a key checkpoint before moving into satellite production, the CDR is intended to build confidence that the planned systems and manufacturing processes will result in a functional, reliable spacecraft. 

Prior to the CDR, MIST passed two earlier design reviews, namely the Mission Concept Review (MCR) and the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The MCR defined the mission objective and established the system-level requirements needed to achieve it. This key step ensured the project was ready to move forward with a clear and achievable mission concept understood by the entire team. In the second major project milestone, the PDR, the team presented mature designs, finalized mission decisions, and detailed costing. The PDR demonstrated how decisions made during the MCR had led to well-developed, validated designs with strong potential for success in subsequent phases of the mission. These solid foundations positioned the team well for the CDR.

CDR and the PRESET mission

The CDR was part of a week-long event that brought together Canadian post-secondary satellite teams to present their own comprehensive reviews. In addition to MIST, participating teams included the Western Engineering Satellite Team and Space Concordia. The event also featured a tour of one of McMaster’s BSB labs, a show at the McMaster Planetarium, a visit to the university’s nuclear reactor and cyclotron, and a celebratory dinner at Boston Pizza. 

MIST’s CubeSat design was generally well-received by the CSA. The team presented updated designs for key components, including the satellite’s deployable solar panels. After each presentation, MIST members fielded technical questions from audience members with thorough and well-considered responses. Feedback from the CSA primarily focused on minor design considerations, which the sub-teams will work to address in the coming months. This feedback is invaluable as the team refines system performance and implements strategies to further optimize the satellite design. 

What’s next? 

The next major mission milestone is the Test Readiness Review (TRR), currently scheduled for February 2026. By then, 90% of the satellite’s development is expected to be complete. In the meantime, MIST members will be focused on integrating CSA feedback, resolving design inefficiencies, and preparing for the testing phase of the mission. 

Stay tuned as we continue progressing towards launch!

MIST & CSA members attending the CDR presentation