An Abbreviated History of Design and Realization Capabilities at APL

Abstract

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has been developing, fabricating, and testing complex electronic, electromechanical, and mechanical systems from its very beginning. Although the underlying organizations, facilities, and technologies have evolved over this time, in some cases dramatically, the ability to advance ideas from concepts to realized hardware remains one of APL’s core distinguishing capabilities, supporting a wide variety of diverse programs and projects across the organization. Throughout APL’s history, a key enabler of these concept-to-realization capabilities has been the Laboratory’s enterprise design, engineering, and fabrication operations. This article briefly traces the history of these functions and their impact on numerous noteworthy achievements of APL. Today, these areas are unified as the Concept Design and Realization Branch within the Research and Exploratory Development Department. The branch continues to serve APL, its sponsors, and the nation with hardware design, mechanical and electrical fabrication, systems integration, and breakthrough manufacturing science that will benefit the programs and missions of the future.