Availability modelling tools applicable to satellite systems

QinetiQ (pronounced "kinetic") is a limited company wholly owned by the UK Government. It incorporates most of the former research, technology and evaluation establishments of the Ministry of Defence. QinetiQ and its predecessor organisations have played a central role in the development and leadership of the UK space programme for more than 40 years. Space activities in which the organisation is involved, especially in the area of specification and design, are outlined. Currently, QinetiQ has a range of software modelling tools. The tools were designed to examine communication satellites, but could easily be tailored to work with other types of satellite systems. A summary of these models is provided in the paper.