Node A6 · Acronym decoder
CDR
Critical Design Review
What it actually means
The technical review that asks: is this design complete enough to start building? Passing CDR means the detailed design is expected to meet requirements with acceptable risk, drawings and analyses are substantially complete, and remaining unknowns have burn-down plans. After CDR, design changes get expensive — it's the last cheap chance to say no.
Where you'll meet it
Every hardware program's master schedule; the review whose slippage everyone watches.