Certification for Autonomy (CARMEL)

Establishing trust in autonomy technology is always a challenging task. The CARMEL project, led by Ames, is a multi-center/industry collaboration with GSFC, LaRC, JSC, Blue Origin, and Red Canyon Software Systems, which aims to create a certification process using an assurance-centric approach, where a structured argument is the organizing focus for justification of a system's properties. This approach promises to be more flexible and adaptable for NASA and commercial providers to get technologies certified for space missions. The assurance case approach allows the provider to give confidence to stakeholders that the autonomous system meets its objectives and operates safely and reliably, thereby building trust by showing stakeholders that the risks are acceptable. The assurance case approach has been adopted in an increasingly wide range of safety-critical industries, such as transportation (including road, rail, and air), oil & gas, military defense, medical, and food & drugs, in order to demonstrate that a product is acceptably safe and effective for its intended use, helping regulators understand complex systems, map out risks and mitigations logically, and build confidence for stakeholders. In the US, assurance cases have been applied by the FAA for performance-based approval of UAS operations, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for nuclear waste disposal, and the FDA for infusion pumps. In recent years, NASA has begun to commercialize at the program level by making use of commercial transportation services and commercially developed launch vehicles, operated by commercial providers rather than by NASA. This changes NASA's acquisition strategy by making essential use of contractors in a different manner. The NPR 7120.5 program and project management requirements are no longer practically applicable given that NASA does not oversee the design, development, testing and evaluation (DDT&E). The need to accommodate new commercial acquisition models motivates the need to evolve NASA’s safety and mission success (S&MS) framework to use the assurance case regime, that is objectives-driven (bringing focus on clear objectives through a structured framework), risk-informed (using risk analysis for decisions), and case-assured (requiring a documented, evidence-based argument that objectives are met). The CARMEL project will conduct a case study on a reference mission, inspired by the report of the Autonomous Navigation Demonstration Relevance Assessment Team (ANDRAT) commissioned by the SMD, flying a single spacecraft in cislunar space exercising Level 3 autonomy (without Earth dependence during nominal autonomous navigation, but contacting ground operations during off-nominal navigation). Using this reference mission, we will develop an assurance case to build trust in autonomous navigation systems. This assurance case will serve as an exemplar assurance case for autonomy missions. Through this case study, we will develop a certification process, along with metrics, measures, and V&V strategies for certifying autonomy technology using an assurance case approach, as well as assurance technology, a software toolset to help projects throughout the process. Finally, we will infuse our assurance case methodology and technology in the commercial US space industry through publication and outreach, as well as by soliciting feedback throughout the project development.

The CARMEL project will benefit both NASA and commercial providers by lowering the barrier to getting their autonomy technologies certified and adopted for NASA space missions by delivering an exemplar autonomy assurance case, an assurance-centric certification process, and an assurance technology to facilitate this approach, supporting projects as they go through the certification process. The assurance methodology will streamline the process of autonomy technology certification using new assurance approaches that have been advocated by NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. These approaches are intended to be more flexible and adaptable than the prescribed NPR 7120.5 requirements for commercial providers to follow and certify their technologies for adoption by NASA. The success of the CARMEL project will directly benefit NASA space programs (under ESDMD or STMD) as they expand their acquisition strategies to acquire and certify both NASA and commercial providers to fly autonomy missions with assurance in establishing trust and trustworthiness for autonomous systems.​

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.