Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Fault Management Technologies - Metrics Evaluation and V&V
Project Description
Functional robustness, resulting from superior engineering design, along with appropriate and timely mitigating actions, is a key enabler for satisfying complex mission goals, and for enhancing mission success probability. Fault Management (FM) is a crucial mechanism to ensure system functionality from system design through the operational phase of a mission. FM is implemented with spacecraft hardware, on-board autonomous software that controls hardware, software and information redundancy, ground-based software and procedures. A major issue in the development and operation of Fault Management (FM) is the determination of the value of the various components of FM design within a system. Without comprehensive measures of value, FM designers and system engineers are left with qualitative arguments often tied to fault tolerance requirements (for example, single fault tolerance, fail-operational-fail safe) or one-off, ad hoc analyses to estimate the risks associated with particular failures and design measures to mitigate them. Qualtech Systems, Inc., in collaboration with Dr. Stephen B. Johnson of University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) and President of Dependable System Technologies, LLC, proposes to develop techniques and concomitant software tools for evaluating FM metrics by using TEAMS® as the underlying platform. This proposal aims to utilize recent advances in the theory and practice of FM, and in particular in the theory and practice of FM metrics, to enhance the ability of system and FM engineers and operators to measure and document the value, cost and risks associated with the FM design. In turn, this provides the information needed to compare alternative FM designs, quantitatively evaluate how well a system is achieving its goals, and enables more effective verification and validation (V&V) of selected FM design.
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Anticipated Benefits
NASA's current vision to enhance the level of autonomy, fault tolerance, and fault mitigation capabilities for space vehicles and support systems makes the proposed effort worthy of funding. Model-based techniques involving FM are being employed in several NASA projects, including the Space Launch System (SLS) at Marshall Space Flight Center, Orion at Johnson Space Center, Ground Systems Development Operations at Kennedy Space Center, and the Europa project at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In addition, Ames Research Center and Glenn Research Center are directly supporting the efforts at MSFC, JSC, and KSC, further spreading the concepts and practices of a discipline-based FM. All are beginning the quantification of FM using newly-developed metrics. Establishing the FM metrics computation technology and the software tool for supporting their implementation will allow NASA to better plan and execute the future Science Missions. The envisioned Software tool(s) from the proposed effort satisfies both design-time and operation-time FM goals. Thus the technologies can be applied for design updating of existing systems and towards improving their operational capabilities and health management systems. The improvements can be made in the areas of utilization of monitored information or analytic outputs, health condition assessment and forecasting, and dissemination of information in efficient manners such that those can be used for updating design and/or operation-related aspects.
Among the other agencies, DoD's Air Force and Navy are the most likely customers for the resulting technologies. Design verification and validation of complex military systems (systems of systems) such as NORAD, Space Command ground segments, the Joint Strike Fighter fleet, the Navy shipboard platforms, Submarine Commands and ballistic missile defense (BMD), etc. for the purpose of uninterrupted (failure-immune) operations can be ensured by using the targeted capabilities implemented in TEAMS. In addition, UAVs, UMGs and other unmanned submersible vehicle markets could also be potential target for the proposed technology. The product is also expected to be of commercial value to the manufacturers of DoD and military's remotely guided weapons and reconnaissance systems and the vendors supply health management systems/schemes for them. More »
Among the other agencies, DoD's Air Force and Navy are the most likely customers for the resulting technologies. Design verification and validation of complex military systems (systems of systems) such as NORAD, Space Command ground segments, the Joint Strike Fighter fleet, the Navy shipboard platforms, Submarine Commands and ballistic missile defense (BMD), etc. for the purpose of uninterrupted (failure-immune) operations can be ensured by using the targeted capabilities implemented in TEAMS. In addition, UAVs, UMGs and other unmanned submersible vehicle markets could also be potential target for the proposed technology. The product is also expected to be of commercial value to the manufacturers of DoD and military's remotely guided weapons and reconnaissance systems and the vendors supply health management systems/schemes for them. More »
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualtech Systems, Inc. | Lead Organization |
Industry
Minority-Owned Business,
Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
|
Rocky Hill, Connecticut |
Marshall Space Flight Center
(MSFC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Huntsville, Alabama |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Alabama
-
Connecticut
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