Output details
15 - General Engineering
University of Hull
Robust FDI applied to thruster faults of a satellite system
Satellite thruster systems are arranged in duplex redundancy, but if an individual thruster malfunctions during main engine burn it is difficult to discriminate between the effects of the fault and the much larger engine disturbance. This paper describes a novel study with EADS-Astrium to investigate such a scenario with a non-linear model of the Mars Express (MEX) satellite. A robust system for fault diagnosis of stochastic systems with unknown disturbances is used, and reliably triggers the MEX redundant thruster unit for sustained operation. EADS-Astrium continue to develop this approach within their satellite systems development programme (bernard.polle@astrium.eads.net).