A Socio-Technical Access and Inventory Control System for an Emerging National Satellite Program: The Proyecto Morazán Case Study

Abstract

Aerospace engineering projects require strict control of laboratory access, inventory traceability, and accountability, particularly during the development of mission-critical hardware, a challenge that is amplified in emerging space programs operating under limited resources and evolving infrastructure. This paper presents a cloud-based access and inventory control system developed using Google Apps Script and Google Sheets within Proyecto Morazán, the first national satellite development initiative of the country. The system was conceived as a mission-driven mitigation mechanism to support traceability and operational awareness during laboratory activities, rather than as a standalone software product. The proposed solution follows a serverless, socio-technical approach that combines automated validation with defined human oversight and has been validated through sustained use in an engineering laboratory supporting the ongoing development of the Engineering Model, with recent adaptations introduced to prepare for clean room operations. Results indicate improved visibility of laboratory activity, clearer component usage records, and reduced operational uncertainty during periods of increased activity, demonstrating that low-cost, cloud-based systems aligned with mission-level requirements and Human-in-the-Loop principles can effectively support access control and inventory traceability in emerging aerospace programs.