Fault detection and diagnosis is a crucial aspect in
spacecraft operations and on-board software with respect to
safety, reliability and performance. The success of a space
mission depends on the adequate and timely system reaction to
unexpected environmental changes and fault or failure of
components or subsystems. Within this paper, case studies of
current spacecraft applications are categorized with respect to
the level of autonomy that is reached. The potential of further
concepts that were not yet studied in the context of spacecraft
fault detection, isolation and recovery (FDIR), but in industrial
and aerospace applications are examined. As a result, the
cognitive automation approach, developed by the Institute of
Flight Systems of the Bundeswehr University Munchen, is
identified as highly promising technology for enhancing
spacecraft on-board autonomy: Context sensitive reactions in
case of unexpected failure are enabled by knowledge about the
current system and environmental state, system operational
capabilities and the impact of faults and recovery actions on the
system and system performance. A study that applies the
cognitive automation concept to the power subsystem of an
interplanetary spacecraft is proposed.
«Fault detection and diagnosis is a crucial aspect in
spacecraft operations and on-board software with respect to
safety, reliability and performance. The success of a space
mission depends on the adequate and timely system reaction to
unexpected environmental changes and fault or failure of
components or subsystems. Within this paper, case studies of
current spacecraft applications are categorized with respect to
the level of autonomy that is reached. The potential of further
con...
»