Hybrid Threat and Anomaly Diagnostics for Spacecraft Autonomy

ABSTRACT: Barron Associates Incorporated proposes flight hardware implementation and on-orbit demonstration of our hybrid methodology for threat and fault diagnosis. The effort advances the readiness of critical technologies for autonomous threat/anomaly detection and isolation through modeling, simulation, experimentation, and test spirals of increasing fidelity. To achieve scalable, accurate, and timely on-board diagnosis of satellite anomalies, our hybrid diagnostic approach brings together the capabilities of a reasoning engine with a powerful set of quantitative fault detection and isolation (FDI) tools. These include adaptive filtering, on-line system identification, and advanced neural network classification algorithms. In the context of this hybrid approach, the FDI techniques act as what we term smart monitors, providing targeted diagnostics for critical subsystems and threat events. The smart monitors feed candidate diagnoses to a constraint-based general inference engine that maintains a consistent view of spacecraft status across a hierarchical collection of components. Development and test activities revolve around two operationally-motivated use cases: electrical power subsystem diagnostics and threat detection. The plan includes flight software implementation and testing on an Air Force sciencecraft, with measurements from multiple on-orbit electrostatic analyzer instruments. At the end of the program, flight-proven technology (algorithms and software) will be delivered to support enhanced spacecraft autonomy in future DoD missions, helping to meet a growing need for increased robustness in the face of natural and man-made threats. BENEFIT: The end product of this effort will be a library of flight-proven software for hybrid threat and anomaly diagnostics. Operational implementation of this technology is anticipated as part of an integrated spacecraft protection system on a next-generation military platform. On-orbit validation of hybrid diagnostics software will place Barron Associates in a unique position to pursue our marketing strategy of partnering with major aerospace prime contractors for integration of specialized diagnostics and anomaly detection capabilities. Barron Associates will pursue commercialization of the proposed technology through a three-pronged approach. First, the effort will open consulting services and contract R & D opportunities for providing satellite manufacturers with tailored diagnostics. Second, by enabling smart monitors to be integrated into a general inference engine, the program will make our neural network software and FDI tools accessible to a broader customer base and a wider range of applications. Finally, we will pursue direct opportunities to commercialize advanced diagnostics hardware in spin-off ventures that leverage the algorithms developed in the proposed program.