
Figure Of Merit
Figure of Merit (FOM) is a metric used to evaluate the performance of a system or a component. In the context of space and astronautical engineering, FOM is used to compare different designs of spacecraft, instruments, or technologies. FOM is a quantitative measure that takes into account multiple parameters such as mass, power, volume, data rate, sensitivity, resolution, and reliability. The goal of FOM is to identify the most efficient and effective solution for a given mission or objective. FOM can be calculated using different formulas depending on the specific application and requirements. For example, FOM can be expressed as a ratio of the desired output to the required input, or as a weighted sum of the relevant parameters. FOM is a valuable tool for decision-making, trade-off analysis, and optimization in space and astronautical engineering.
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