Multidisciplinary Analysis of Fault Management Design for System Autonomy and Resilience

A major step in fulfilling NASA’s technology needs to increase system autonomy and resilience is to connect fault management (FM)/System Health Management (SHM) to systems engineering (SE) and operations. There are recent trends to improve SE through the use of models to create model-based SE (MBSE) and connect FM to SE and operations. One such approach for performing a rigorous SE is the Goal-Function Tree (GFT) representation using Systems Modeling Language (SysML) that was developed at NASA JPL and MSFC. Despite their inherently close relationship to SE in practice, SHM/FM practices have remained disjoint and not tightly integrated with SE. Historically, SHM has been designed into the system only after the nominal system is designed, which essentially makes it a band-aid of the problems without consideration of how these might have been prevented or mitigated. Between SE and SHM/FM, separate sets of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), knowledge repositories, modeling methodologies and analyses processes with non-relatable results are typical. This lends itself to a large technology and knowledge gap between the two sets of practices that result in significant inefficiencies throughout the life cycle, from design through verification and validation (V&V) through operations. Qualtech Systems, Inc. (QSI) plans to integrate TEAMS® analytic capabilities with GFT to provide a multidisciplinary solution that connects an important SE approach with a tool that provides analytic capabilities for FM design and operations. It intends to integrate SHM/FM directly within SE from the beginning of a project, thereby suitable for FM of future spacecraft. This effort: (1) performs FM design analysis of a system design modeled in GFT, (2) enables FM design to be evaluated in an operational context by performing SHM functions, (3) supports Trade Studies to evaluate merits of FM architecture; and (4) enables “System” level assessment and visualization of FM qualities modeled in GFT.

QSI's technology will enable NASA to better plan and execute future Space Missions. It's applications include verification testing of NASA’s next generation launch vehicle such as the SLS, cis-lunar infrastructure including the Gateway and deep space human exploration such as the Habitat. Exploration Upper Stage is also a target. TheGateway spacecraft has vehicle models, which can be integrated in the MBSE environment and evaluated against FM robustness. Europa is a candidate for demonstrating FM capabilities within GFT driven MBSE practices.

The technology can be applied to DoD’s Mission planning and Rapid design of space missions / satellites including Geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), Medium earth orbit (MEO), and Low earth orbit (LEO), commercial space launch vehicles (e.g., SpaceX), NORAD, Space Command ground segments, JSF, Navy shipboard platforms, submarines, BMD systems, UAVs, UGVs and unmanned submersible vehicle markets.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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