MULTI-LEVEL EXPERT SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT

AN EXPLORATORY AND INNOVATIVE APPLICATION OF EXPERT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY IS PROPOSED IN WHICH THE FRAMEWORK IS LAID FOR THE CONTROL OF MULTIPLE EXPERT SYSTEM IN A HIERARCHICALLY STRUCTURED ARCHITECTURE. THE RESULTING SYSTEM REPRESENTS A FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE MISSION SUPPORT TOOL WITH BROAD SPECTRUM POTENTIAL FOR BOTH MANNED AND AUTONOMOUS SPACE MISSION APPLICATIONS. EXPLOTING THE PROCESSING PARADIGM ALLOWED BY THIS APPROACH TO SYSTEM AUTOMATION, A TECHNIQUE IS PROPOSED FOR AN INNOVATIVE APPLICATION OF FAULT AXIOMATIC/HYPOTHETICAL METHODS FOR SYSTEM RELIABILITY. THE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECT OF THE FAULT AXIOMATIC/HYPOTHETICAL METHODS IN THE AREA OF FAULT DIAGNOSIS. THE FAULT DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS PRODUCED ALSO SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR INTER-TASK COMMUNICATION, THUS PROVIDING A MECHANISM FOR VALIDATION OF THE DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTS. PHASE II PROPOSED EFFORT WILL BUILD ON THE FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHED IN PHASE I FAULT PROCESSING CAPABILITIES ARE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE AUTONOMOUS RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND AN INTELLIGENT ASSISTANT SUPPORTING MANUAL OPERATION WITH OVERALL CONTROL SUPPLIED BY AN AUTOMATED MISSION OBJECTIVES EXPERT. THE COMBINED SYSTEM OF COORDINATED EXPERT SYSTEMS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT A HIGH PERFORMANCE, AUTONOMOUS MISSION OBJECTIVES ORIENTED FAULT TOLERANCE CAPABILITY WIDELY APPLICABLE TO SPACE MISSION SUPPORT.