Adaptation of the ELISSA simulation tool for reliability analysis

G. Detrell, B. Ganzer, E. Messerschmid

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

For future long-term space missions such as manned missions to Mars, its moons or Near Earth Objects, resupply or emergency escape will not be an option, due to the long duration of the mission and the distance to Earth. Therefore, the reliability of a critical system such as the Environmental Control and Life Support System, will play an important role in selecting the appropriate technologies for each mission. At the Institute of Space Systems, a simulation tool ELISSA - Environment for Life Support system Simulation and Analysis - was developed, and is being improved, in order to simulate the nominal behavior of ECLSS systems. It is based on the commercial software LabVIEW and can be used to design ECLSS, AOCS and EPS. This paper analyzes the possibilities for adapting it to carry out reliability analysis of the system. Due to the complexity of the system, a Monte Carlo Simulation has been chosen, and a new tool, ELISSA Reliability, based on the current existing ELISSA software, has been developed. The requirements to apply the Monte Carlo Simulation in ELISSA are studied, as well as which Figures of Merit will define the system failure. The new program allows the multiple simulation of the system, making some components fail semi-randomly at each simulation, according to the previously defined component reliability. The simulation tool also includes astronaut response to failures, such as comfort level changes (water/food consumption) in the event of an emergency situation being declared. The result of the simulation is an analysis of the system failure times, which are fitted to a Weibull distribution function using the Maximum Likelihood Estimation, to obtain the reliability of the system. Moreover, the causes of the system failure of each simulation are given, as well as the number of times each system failed.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication41st International Conference on Environmental Systems 2011, ICES 2011
StatePublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes
Event41st International Conference on Environmental Systems 2011, ICES 2011 - Portland, OR, United States
Duration: 17 Jul 201121 Jul 2011

Publication series

Name41st International Conference on Environmental Systems 2011, ICES 2011

Conference

Conference41st International Conference on Environmental Systems 2011, ICES 2011
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPortland, OR
Period17/07/1121/07/11

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