NASA Instrument Cost Model – NICM
The NASA Instrument Cost Model (NICM) is a suite of tools used to estimate the development cost of future NASA spaceflight instruments. This includes both remote sensing and in-situ types of instruments. NICM contains two probabilistic cost estimation tools, the System Tool and the Subsystem Tool (Figure 1 below). These tools allow users to create cost estimates either from the top down or the bottom up. The NICM Search Engine completes the suite by enabling users to estimate cost by analogy methods, relying on NICM’s extensive database of previously flown spaceflight instruments. NICM is in wide use across many NASA centers and is available under access release restrictions to external organizations.
NICM is sponsored by NASA HQ OCFO Strategic Investments Division and co-sponsored by JPL. The JPL Development Team provides the core analysis support for NICM including data collection, normalization, modeling methodology development, tool maintenance, upgrades, and training. Since 2004, NICM has grown to include data on more than 260 instruments and boasts a community of over 500 trained users. NICM is a Microsoft Excel based tool and utilizes VBA macros making it intuitive to use and simple to install.
In addition to providing system level and subsystem level cost estimates for instruments, NICM also computes instrument development schedule duration estimates, joint confidence level analysis, and provides various analogy-based feedback side-tools, such as the Cluster Tree output shown here. Users supply key technical inputs such as instrument mass and the model outputs these estimates.
The NICM model also includes a detailed report with each version. The NICM Report PDF contains a user guide, plus a complete overview of the data collection and normalization process, model development, and methodology selection process. Users are encouraged to consult the Final Report and to TAKE TRAINING!
NICM is available for download from the ONCE Database for NASA Civil Servants and NASA Contractors on a current NASA contract. External organizations can visit the NASA Software Catalog to request a copy of NICM. New users can contact the NICM team or learn more by emailing: NICM@jpl.nasa.gov
Training opportunities are periodically offered online, available one-on-one, or available at your Center. Please contact the NICM team for the next scheduled training at: NICM@jpl.nasa.gov
The NICM Team would like to acknowledge Dr. Hamid Habib-Agahi (NASA JPL, retired) for his outstanding efforts to establish and lead the NASA Instrument Cost Model. Additional thanks to all data providers, Instrument SMEs, and Instrument Managers for their help!
NICM Links and Publications
2023 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM 10 Model Release“
2022 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM 10 Preview“
2019 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NASA Instrument Cost Model: NICM v8.5”
2018 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM VII: Major Improvements”
2017 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “The Silent NICM Schedule Capabilities”
2017 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM Cryocooler”
2016 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM Impact of Mission Class on Cost”
2015 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NASA Instrument Cost Model”
2015 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “Improving the NICM Software CER”
2014 AIAA SPACE Exposition Paper, “NASA Instrument Cost Model VI”
2014 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM Telescope Cost Estimating”
2013 NASA Cost & Schedule Symposium, “NICM for Explorer-like Mission Instruments”
2011 IEEE Aerospace Paper, “NASA Instrument Cost/Schedule Model”
HQ OCFO SID POC: james.k.johnson@nasa.gov
JPL POC: joseph.j.mrozinski@jpl.nasa.gov
NICM Technical Support: NICM@jpl.nasa.gov
Access via Model Portal on ONCE Database: https://oncedata.hq.nasa.gov
Access via NASA Software Catalog: https://software.nasa.gov/software/HQN-11886-1