Event-based safety and reliability analysis integration in model-based space mission design

• Published in: Reliability engineering & system safety 2023-01, Vol.229, p.108866, Article 108866
• Main Authors: Hu, Yunpeng, Peng, Qibo, Ni, Qing, Wu, Xinfeng, Ye, Dongming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Complex space missions; Cost analysis; Design; Design analysis; Failure analysis; Failure modes; Mission planning; Model-based safety and reliability analysis; Model-based systems; Model-based systems engineering; Multi-state phased mission system; Reliability analysis; Reliability engineering; Safety; Safety engineering; Space missions; SysML; Systems engineering
• ISSN: 0951-8320; 1879-0836
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2022.108866

•Safety analysis is integrated into model-based space mission design.•Failures are identified in company with the process of MBSE.•Event tree can be extracted from SysML activity diagram.•Model-based safety analysis for manned mission to the Moon is studied. Model-based safety and reliability (S&R) analysis, which improves analysis accuracy and reduces cost and development time is applied in various industries. With the developments in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and the use of systems modelling language (SysML), S&R analysis based on SysML models is gaining more attention. However, the emerging methods are inadequate for complex space missions. Thus, the main objective of this study involves integrating S&R analysis in SysML-based space mission design. First, a framework for integrating S&R analysis in model-based space mission design is presented. Based on the characteristics of the development of complex space missions and the MBSE process, a multisystem collaborative failure analysis method is proposed to comprehensively identify the failure modes (FMs) of the entire system. Subsequently, an event-based analysis method integrating the process of functional architecture definition is proposed, which fills the identified gaps in model-based S&R analysis for mission-level systems. Based on the identified FMs and proposed criterion, the event tree can be mapped from the SysML activity diagram. Finally, the proposed methodology is applied to a case study of a complex space mission in the near future: the manned mission to the Moon.