Operational Aspects Of Spacecraft Autonomy

A. Pidgeon et al. (1992), JBIS, 45, pp.87-92

Refcode: 1992.45.87

Abstract:

An important aspect of any spacecraft’s design is how it can be operated effectively to achieve its mission goals and, particularly for long duration missions, how much it will cost to operate. Automation and autonomy have long been recognised as having the potential to reduce the cost of spacecraft operations. They are seen as essential for some missions. Spacecraft operations automation can perform routine tasks currently performed by operations engineers and can often be implemented at the mission control centre or ground station. Autonomy, on the other hand, makes a spacecraft less reliant on intervention from the ground (automatic or human), even in the event of onboard failures.