Chapter 9 - A Class of Unknown Input Observers Under [formula omitted] Performance for Fault Diagnosis: Application to the Mars Sample Return Mission

Abstract

The work presented in this chapter addresses the design and validation of a robust model-based fault diagnosis scheme to detect and isolate any thruster faults occurring in the thruster-based propulsion system of the chaser spacecraft during rendezvous on a circular orbit around the Mars planet. The reference mission is the ESA Mars Sample Return mission. Key features of the proposed method are the use of a H∞/H− filter for robust fault detection and a bank of a new class of unknown input observers for fault isolation. A simulation campaign based on a nonlinear high-fidelity simulator developed by GMV space and Thales Alenia Space industries, is conducted within the forced translation phase of the rendezvous phase of the MSR mission under highly realistic conditions.