Model-based Fault Diagnosis and Fault Accommodation for Space Missions : Application to the Rendezvous Phase of the MSR Mission

The work addressed in this thesis draws expertise from actions undertaken between the EuropeanSpace Agency (ESA), the industry Thales Alenia Space (TAS) and the IMS laboratory (laboratoirede l’Intégration du Matériau au Système) which develop new generations of integrated Guidance, Navigationand Control (GNC) units with fault detection and tolerance capabilities. The reference mission isthe ESA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. The presented work focuses on the terminal rendezvoussequence of the MSR mission which corresponds to the last few hundred meters until the capture. Thechaser vehicle is the MSR Orbiter, while the passive target is a diameter spherical container. The objectiveat control level is a capture achievement with an accuracy better than a few centimeter. The research workaddressed in this thesis is concerned by the development of model-based Fault Detection and Isolation(FDI) and Fault Tolerant Control (FTC) approaches that could significantly increase the operational andfunctional autonomy of the chaser during rendezvous, and more generally, of spacecraft involved in deepspace missions. Since redundancy exist in the sensors and since the reaction wheels are not used duringthe rendezvous phase, the work presented in this thesis focuses only on the thruster-based propulsionsystem. The investigated faults have been defined in accordance with ESA and TAS requirements andfollowing their experiences. The presented FDI/FTC approaches relies on hardware redundancy in sensors,control redirection and control re-allocation methods and a hierarchical FDI including signal-basedapproaches at sensor level, model-based approaches for thruster fault detection/isolation and trajectorysafety monitoring. Carefully selected performance and reliability indices together with Monte Carlo simulationcampaigns, using a high-fidelity industrial simulator, demonstrate the viability of the proposedapproaches.Les travaux de recherche traités dans cette thèse s’appuient sur l’expertise des actionsmenées entre l’Agence spatiale européenne (ESA), l’industrie Thales Alenia Space (TAS) et le laboratoirede l’Intégration du Matériau au Système (IMS) qui développent de nouvelles générations d’unités intégréesde guidage, navigation et pilotage (GNC) avec une fonction de détection des défauts et de tolérance desdéfauts. La mission de référence retenue dans cette thèse est la mission de retour d’échantillons martiens(Mars Sample Return, MSR) de l’ESA. Ce travail se concentre sur la séquence terminale du rendez-vous dela mission MSR qui correspond aux dernières centaines de mètres jusqu’à la capture. Le véhicule chasseurest l’orbiteur MSR (chasseur), alors que la cible passive est un conteneur sphérique. L’objectif au niveaude contrôle est de réaliser la capture avec une précision inférieure à quelques centimètres. Les travaux derecherche traités dans cette thèse s’intéressent au développement des approches sur base de modèle de détectionet d’isolation des défauts (FDI) et de commande tolérante aux défaillances (FTC), qui pourraientaugmenter d’une manière significative l’autonomie opérationnelle et fonctionnelle du chasseur pendant lerendez-vous et, d’une manière plus générale, d’un vaisseau spatial impliqué dans des missions située dansl’espace lointain. Dès lors que la redondance existe dans les capteurs et que les roues de réaction ne sontpas utilisées durant la phase de rendez-vous, le travail présenté dans cette thèse est orienté seulementvers les systèmes de propulsion par tuyères. Les défaillances examinées ont été définies conformément auxexigences de l’ESA et de TAS et suivant leurs expériences. Les approches FDI/FTC présentées s’appuientsur la redondance de capteurs, la redirection de contrôle et sur les méthodes de réallocation de contrôle,ainsi que le FDI hiérarchique, y compris les approches à base de signaux au niveau de capteurs, les approchesà base de modèle de détection/localisation de défauts de propulseur et la surveillance de sécuritéde trajectoire. Utilisant un simulateur industriel de haute-fidélité, les indices de performance et de fiabilitéFDI, qui ont été soigneusement choisis accompagnés des campagnes de simulation de robustesse/sensibilitéMonte Carlo, démontrent la viabilité des approches proposées

Design Development Test and Evaluation (DDT and E) Considerations for Safe and Reliable Human Rated Spacecraft Systems

A team directed by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) collected methodologies for how best to develop safe and reliable human rated systems and how to identify the drivers that provide the basis for assessing safety and reliability. The team also identified techniques, methodologies, and best practices to assure that NASA can develop safe and reliable human rated systems. The results are drawn from a wide variety of resources, from experts involved with the space program since its inception to the best-practices espoused in contemporary engineering doctrine. This report focuses on safety and reliability considerations and does not duplicate or update any existing references. Neither does it intend to replace existing standards and policy

NASA Automated Rendezvous and Capture Review. A compilation of the abstracts

This document presents a compilation of abstracts of papers solicited for presentation at the NASA Automated Rendezvous and Capture Review held in Williamsburg, VA on November 19-21, 1991. Due to limitations on time and other considerations, not all abstracts could be presented during the review. The organizing committee determined however, that all abstracts merited availability to all participants and represented data and information reflecting state-of-the-art of this technology which should be captured in one document for future use and reference. The organizing committee appreciates the interest shown in the review and the response by the authors in submitting these abstracts

Large space structures and systems in the space station era: A bibliography with indexes

Bibliographies and abstracts are listed for 1219 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between July 1, 1990 and December 31, 1990. The purpose is to provide helpful information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design according to system, interactive analysis and design, structural and thermal analysis and design, structural concepts and control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, and solar power satellite systems

Third International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation for Space 1994

The Third International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation for Space (i-SAIRAS 94), held October 18-20, 1994, in Pasadena, California, was jointly sponsored by NASA, ESA, and Japan's National Space Development Agency, and was hosted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the California Institute of Technology. i-SAIRAS 94 featured presentations covering a variety of technical and programmatic topics, ranging from underlying basic technology to specific applications of artificial intelligence and robotics to space missions. i-SAIRAS 94 featured a special workshop on planning and scheduling and provided scientists, engineers, and managers with the opportunity to exchange theoretical ideas, practical results, and program plans in such areas as space mission control, space vehicle processing, data analysis, autonomous spacecraft, space robots and rovers, satellite servicing, and intelligent instruments

A two-stage fixed wing space transportation system. Volume 2 - Preliminary design Final report

Preliminary design for two stage fixed wing reusable space transportation system - Vol.

The 1995 Goddard Conference on Space Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Information Technologies

This publication comprises the papers presented at the 1995 Goddard Conference on Space Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Information Technologies held at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, on May 9-11, 1995. The purpose of this annual conference is to provide a forum in which current research and development directed at space applications of artificial intelligence can be presented and discussed

Space station systems: A bibliography with indexes (supplement 9)

This bibliography lists 1,313 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between January 1, 1989 and June 30, 1989. Its purpose is to provide helpful information to researchers, designers and managers engaged in Space Station technology development and mission design. Coverage includes documents that define major systems and subsystems related to structures and dynamic control, electronics and power supplies, propulsion, and payload integration. In addition, orbital construction methods, servicing and support requirements, procedures and operations, and missions for the current and future Space Station are included

IUS/TUG orbital operations and mission support study. Volume 3: Space tug operations

A study was conducted to develop space tug operational concepts and baseline operations plan, and to provide cost estimates for space tug operations. Background data and study results are presented along with a transition phase analysis (the transition from interim upper state to tug operations). A summary is given of the tug operational and interface requirements with emphasis on the on-orbit checkout requirements, external interface operational requirements, safety requirements, and system operational interface requirements. Other topics discussed include reference missions baselined for the tug and details for the mission functional flows and timelines derived for the tug mission, tug subsystems, tug on-orbit operations prior to the tug first burn, spacecraft deployment and retrieval by the tug, operations centers, mission planning, potential problem areas, and cost data