Distributed Multi-Agent Fault Diagnosis and Reconfiguration Control

In order to meet the challenges of long-duration space exploration (e.g., missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond), onboard real-time health management of spacecraft that responds rapidly to system and subsystem events is essential. In response to this need, Qualtech Systems, Inc. (QSI), in cooperation with Vanderbilt University, proposes to develop a distributed multi-agent fault diagnosis and reconfiguration control (FDR) approach for addressing the health management problem. The proposed solution uses "intelligent" schemes to coordinate local health assessments of multiple interconnected subsystems ("local diagnosers") to a convergent and correct global system health assessment. In addition, the solution recommends relevant system recovery functions based on fault isolation information and fault severity estimates. Design of local diagnosers for subsystem health assessment utilizes a combination of both model-based and data-driven diagnostic methods in an integrated development environment for accurate root cause isolation.