Reliability evaluation of avionics system with imperfect fault coverage and propagated failure mechanisms

Fault tolerance designs are essential techniques for systems that require high levels of reliability, such as aircraft or spacecraft control system. Imperfect Fault Coverage (IFC) may lead to the failure of a system or subsystem even with adequate redundancy. Previous studies of IFC mostly concentrated on evaluating Coverage Factor (CF), whereas the system failure behaviors with IFC have rarely been involved. Failures that occur in low-layer may be covered by high-layer. However, if the coverage is imperfect, uncovered failure will have functional and physical impact on the system behavior. In this thesis, the failure behavior and reliability of IFC of multi-layer systems are studied and a Binary Decision Diagram (BDD)-based modeling and simulation method are proposed to evaluate system reliability. As a case, the failure behavior of an aero engine electronic controller with IFC is studied. The results show that the IFC may impact system behavior without taking the IFC into account, the system maintenance intervals may reduce, and thus the maintenance costs will increase.     

S波段活动测控设备自动化程度提高研究

针对日益繁重的在轨卫星长期管理工作,从实现中心透明测控模式的角度出发,就如何提高S波段活动测控设备自动化程度和操作可靠性,解决人员精力与卫星长期管理质量之间的矛盾提出解决思路,并重点讨论了提高RMCS、监控分系统、测距测速分系统、遥测分系统自动化程度的方法。     

嵌入式电力控制系统中监控子系统的设计与实现

随着计算机软、硬件技术的发展，嵌入式系统在工业控制中的应用越来越广，嵌入式系统与监控软件的结合己成为工业控制领域发展的必然趋势。该系统是嵌入式电力控制系统中的一个监控子系统，系统基于组件开发，可以实现地、市级调度自动化系统、110kV及以下电压等级变电站自动化系统和10KV（35KV）及以下发电厂用电、楼宇自动化、工矿企业配电房等的中低压配电自动化系统功能。主要从硬件及软件技术方面论述了监控系统在电力自动化控制方面的应用．阐述嵌入式电力控制系统中监控子系统的核心设计与实现。     

The Engineering Radiation Monitor for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

An Engineering Radiation Monitor (ERM) has been developed as a supplementary spacecraft subsystem for NASA’s Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission. The ERM will monitor total dose and deep dielectric charging at each RBSP spacecraft in real time. Configured to take the place of spacecraft balance mass, the ERM contains an array of eight dosimeters and two buried conductive plates. The dosimeters are mounted under covers of varying shielding thickness to obtain a dose-depth curve and characterize the electron and proton contributions to total dose. A 3-min readout cadence coupled with an initial sensitivity of ～0.01 krad should enable dynamic measurements of dose rate throughout the 9-hr RBSP orbit. The dosimeters are Radiation-sensing Field Effect Transistors (RadFETs) and operate at zero bias to preserve their response even when powered off. The range of the RadFETs extends above 1000 krad to avoid saturation over the expected duration of the mission. Two large-area (～10 cm²) charge monitor plates set behind different thickness covers will measure the dynamic currents of weakly-penetrating electrons that can be potentially hazardous to sensitive electronic components within the spacecraft. The charge monitors can handle large events without saturating (～3000 fA/cm²) and provide sufficient sensitivity (～0.1 fA/cm²) to gauge quiescent conditions. High time-resolution (5 s) monitoring allows detection of rapid changes in flux and enables correlation of spacecraft anomalies with local space weather conditions. Although primarily intended as an engineering subsystem to monitor spacecraft radiation levels, real-time data from the ERM may also prove useful or interesting to a larger community.     

基于CPCI架构航天器测试设备的故障诊断设计与实现

基于CPCI总线架构的航天器测试设备可以实现模块化、集成化和通用化设计,有利于测试系统的再次开发、直接沿用以及后续维护.某型号的综合电子和控制分系统地面测试设备采用基于CPCI总线的架构,使用VxWorks操作系统作为核心调度,采取模块化FPGA开发接口和特定功能.提出以监听任务、功能模块、板卡运行时间为检测手段,实现了对系统测试设备故障的诊断,尤其是反作用轮转速模块,软件能自主进行故障处理.在分系统及整星测试的使用过程中,此方法有效提高了设备的可靠度,提高了对星上产品的安全保护,保证整星大型试验的连续可靠运行.此方法对于其他地面测试设备的故障诊断具有一定的借鉴作用.     

Artificial intelligence supportability [Air Force application]

The reader is acquainted with artificial intelligence (AI) in general and knowledge-based (expert) systems in particular. The expected benefits and potential applications are described, and the impact of supporting AI technology is assessed. Several problems areas are identified, and potential solutions are proposed for some of them     

Rosetta Radio Science Investigations (RSI)

The Rosetta spacecraft has been successfully launched on 2nd March 2004 to its new target comet 67 P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The science objectives of the Rosetta Radio Science Investigations (RSI) experiment address fundamental aspects of cometary physics such as the mass and bulk density of the nucleus, its gravity field, its interplanetary orbit perturbed by nongravitational forces, its size and shape, its internal structure, the composition and roughness of the nucleus surface, the abundance of large dust grains, the plasma content in the coma and the combined dust and gas mass flux. The masses of two asteroids, Steins and Lutetia, shall be determined during flybys in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Secondary objectives are the radio sounding of the solar corona during the superior conjunctions of the spacecraft with the Sun during the cruise phase. The radio carrier links of the spacecraft Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) subsystem between the orbiter and the Earth will be used for these investigations. An Ultrastable oscillator (USO) connected to both transponders of the radio subsystem serves as a stable frequency reference source for both radio downlinks at X-band (8.4 GHz) and S-band (2.3 GHz) in the one-way mode. The simultaneous and coherent dual-frequency downlinks via the High Gain Antenna (HGA) permit separation of contributions from the classical Doppler shift and the dispersive media effects caused by the motion of the spacecraft with respect to the Earth and the propagation of the signals through the dispersive media, respectively. The investigation relies on the observation of the phase, amplitude, polarization and propagation times of radio signals transmitted from the spacecraft and received with ground station antennas on Earth. The radio signals are affected by the medium through which the signals propagate (atmospheres, ionospheres, interplanetary medium, solar corona), by the gravitational influence of the planet on the spacecraft and finally by the performance of the various systems involved both on the spacecraft and on ground.     

热致变色涂层技术研究进展

热致变色涂层技术是航天器热控分系统的一项重要技术,对于未来航天器执行多任务、适应空间复杂多变的热环境具有重要意义。文中分析了航天器热控对热致变色涂层技术的需求,介绍了热致变色涂层的技术原理和国内外研究情况。在此基础上,总结了热致变色涂层技术的发展规律及趋势,并对我国热致变色涂层技术的后续发展提出了建议。     

Confluence of navigation, communication, and control in distributedspacecraft systems

This research details the development of technologies and methodologies that enable distributed spacecraft systems by supporting integrated navigation, communication, and control. Operating at the confluence of these critical functions produces capabilities needed to realize the promise of distributed spacecraft systems, including improved performance and robustness relative to monolithic space systems. Navigation supports science data association and data alignment for distributed aperture sensing, multipoint observation, and co-observation of target regions. Communication enables autonomous distributed science data processing and information exchange among space assets. Both navigation and communication provide essential input to control methods for coordinating distributed autonomous assets at the interspacecraft system level and the intraspacecraft affector subsystem level. A technology solution to implement these capabilities, the Crosslink Transceiver, is also described. The Crosslink Transceiver provides navigation and communication capability that can be integrated into a developing autonomous command and control methodology for distributed spacecraft systems. A small satellite implementation of the Crosslink Transceiver design is detailed and its ability to support broad distributed spacecraft mission classes is described     

Human factors in spacecraft design

This paper describes some of the salient implications of evolving mission parameters for spacecraft design. Among the requirements for future spacecraft are new, higher standards of living, increased support of human productivity, and greater accommodation of physical and cultural variability. Design issues include volumetric allowances, architecture and layouts, closed life support systems, health maintenance systems, recreational facilities, automation, privacy, and decor. An understanding of behavioral responses to design elements is a precondition for critical design decisions. Human factors research results must be taken into account early in the course of the design process.     

Tracking and data acquisition for space exploration

The tracking and data acquisition systems provide the key link between the remote spacecraft and the scientific experimenter on the ground. The operation of the space experiment takes place through the links of command, telemetry and tracking. The evolution from the early very simple spacecraft missions toward more complex and sophisticated missions has been paralleled by a similar evolution in the tracking and data acquisition systems. The early Minitrack interferometer tracking system still carries the major tracking workload for space missions; however greater tracking accuracy requirements for more recent missions, such as the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory and the Apollo mission, have brought about the development of unified tracking and data acquisition systems which utilize hybrid pseudo-random code/sidetone ranging techniques. The data acquisition has evolved from analog telemetry systems to the present day heavy use of PCM digital telemetry. Likewise the command systems have evolved from early simple on/off command systems into PCM digital command data systems. The trend is toward greater real time control of more complex functions on board the spacecraft. Newer spacecraft are incorporating computer-type systems in the spacecraft which require programming and memory load through the ground command link. The most attractive concept for the next generation network for tracking and data acquisition is a network consisting of synchronous-orbit Tracking and Data Relay Satellites for covering launches and low-orbit earth satellites plus a few selected ground stations for supporting spacecraft in high earth orbit and lunar orbit.     

基于反步法的挠性航天器姿态镇定

利用反步法研究了一类挠性航天器的姿态镇定问题,提出一种基于模态观测器的反步控制设计方案.首先,构造挠性模态观测器对挠性模态变量及其变化率进行观测;其次,将角速度看成虚拟控制器,设计虚拟角速度镇定运动学模型与挠性模态变量组成的子系统;最后,利用反步法设计了一种非线性控制器使得角速度能够跟踪虚拟角速度,从而实现姿态镇定的目...     

挠性航天器的退步直接自适应姿态跟踪控制

针对参数不确定的挠性航天器姿态跟踪控制问题,提出了一种退步直接自适应控制算法。首先验证了挠性航天器动力学子系统的近似严格正实性,并设计了具有理想控制性能的参考模型;然后对以姿态四元数描述的运动学子系统设计常系数输出反馈中间控制律,使航天器姿态四元数输出渐近跟踪参考模型输出;最后退一步,对具有参数不确定特性的动力学子系统,基于非线性直接自适应控制理论和Lyapunov稳定性理论,设计了退步直接自适应姿态跟踪控制器,并证明了闭环系统的稳定性。仿真结果表明,所提控制方法能有效抑制挠性附件的振动,对挠性航天器的控制是有效的。     

ATM and FIS data link services

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently has under development data link services for Air Traffic Management (ATM), Flight Information Service (FIS), and communications, navigation, and surveillance (CNS). These services will be provided over the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN), a worldwide data network intended to provide data communications connectivity among mobile aircraft, airlines, and civil aviation authorities. The ATM and FIS services currently under development are part of an evolutionary process that will begin, for the most part, with duplication of voice services. In the future, services will facilitate a common source of data for pilots, controllers, and flight planners, as well as computer-to-computer communications between ground based and airborne automation systems. These future services will provide benefits such as the use of optimum aircraft tracks and flight profiles     

航天用FR4 材料的本征电导率测试

介质材料电导率是影响卫星充电过程的重要材料参数,它决定着航天器上电荷的分布状态以及电流平 衡建立的快慢。常规的电导率测量方法完全不考虑空间真实带电环境,其测试结果用于卫星带电防护设计将会产生 较大的误差。本文建立了用传统三电极法和电荷衰减法测试介质材料本征电导率的测试系统,对卫星常用的FR4 材 料进行了测试,测试结果与国外的结果相近。     

Testing autonomous systems for deep space exploration

NASA is moving into an era of Increasing spacecraft autonomy. However, before autonomy can be routinely utilized, we must develop techniques for providing assurance that the system will perform correctly in flight. We describe why autonomous systems require advanced verification techniques, and offer some management and technical techniques for addressing the differences. Autonomous goal-driven spacecraft require advances in verification techniques because optimization (e.g., planning and scheduling) algorithms are at the core of much of autonomy. It Is the nature of such algorithms that over much of the input space an intuitively "small" change in the input results in a correspondingly "small" change in the output: This type of response typically leads one to conclude, quite reasonably, that if the two responses are correct, those responses "between" them will probably also be correct. However, there are certain regions in the input space where a "small" change in the input will result in a radically different output: One is not so inclined to conclude that all responses in these transition zones are likely to be correct. We believe, for two reasons, that these transition zones are one place where autonomous systems are likely to fail. First, boundary conditions, often a rich source of faults, are highly exercised in the transition zones, and so increase the likelihood of faults. Second, within the transition zone the algorithm outputs are likely to appear unusual, and, since the outputs of the algorithm become inputs to the remainder of the system, the whole system is probably pushed outside of its nominal usage profile: historically shown to be another good source of faults. We close with a discussion of risk management. Autonomous systems have many well-known management risk factors. Risk management and quality concerns must be pervasive, throughout all team members and the whole life-cycle of the project.     

Deep Impact: A Large-Scale Active Experiment on a Cometary Nucleus

The Deep Impact mission will provide the first data on the interior of a cometary nucleus and a comparison of those data with data on the surface. Two spacecraft, an impactor and a flyby spacecraft, will arrive at comet 9P/Tempel 1 on 4 July 2005 to create and observe the formation and final properties of a large crater that is predicted to be approximately 30-m deep with the dimensions of a football stadium. The flyby and impactor instruments will yield images and near infrared spectra (1–5 μm) of the surface at unprecedented spatial resolutions both before and after the impact of a 350-kg spacecraft at 10.2 km/s. These data will provide unique information on the structure of the nucleus near the surface and its chemical composition. They will also used to interpret the evolutionary effects on remote sensing data and will indicate how those data can be used to better constrain conditions in the early solar system.     

Automation and Robotics for the Space Station: Recommendations

On January 25, 1984, President Reagan announced a United States program to place a permanent space station in orbit in 1992. The Congressional bill appropriating the funding for this program requires that a significant portion of the program funds be for the development of new automation and robotics technologies not in use on existing spacecraft. To assist it in developing plans to meet this requirement, NASA established an Automation and Robotics Panel in August 1984. This paper presents verbatim the Executive Summary of the Panel's report to NASA. It should be recognized that this report to NASA is advisory only, and that for a variety of reasons, including funding, what is actually implemented will certainly differ in many respects from the recommendations. Nevertheless, the report represents the thinking of a prestigious group of scholars and practitioners in automation and robotics, and many of the recommendations undoubtedly will be implemented. A summary of the NASA recommendations will be published following their official release.