(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2002-12-01)
McDonald, Dillan; Lightsey, E. Glenn
As spacecraft miniaturize, the implementation of an appropriate fault
management system is increasingly important. Through experiences testing NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) Lunar Flashlight fault
protection system and working closely with ARMADILLO’s flight software implementation and other LEO cube-satellites, a set of recommendations has been formed. The recommendations provided specifically cover Under-Voltage Lock Out (UVLO) implementation, spacecraft error handling to help restore functionality, a simplified spacecraft mode state diagram, fault interaction rules, and a general architecture for fault protection implementation. Additionally, a fault hazard analysis was conducted to evaluate points of failure for the Georgia Tech Mission Operations Center (MOC), and finally a discussion on ground station development and the role the GT Ground Station Network (GSN) plays in mission operations.