Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) and Affordable Logistics

Abstract

Imagine the ability to conduct exploration, commerce, military and scientific activities in space in much the same fashion that we conduct these activities on earth. Proven commercial technology and systems that have enable low-cost earth missions and that have been proven flight-worthy to support space missions can be leveraged to make this vision a reality. Space exploration and military space programs must harness emerging technologies and develop new entrepreneurial partnerships to address future civil and government space customer needs. The success of all space endeavors—military, scientific, exploration, and commercial—depends upon affordable logistics. A major success driver to these ambitious space exploration and military programs is providing the information-flow to support flexible, affordable logistics. Flexible and affordable logistics can be enabled by leveraging Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) and Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) technology. The efficient use of these ISHM and CBM methods, processes and systems enable cost-effective logistics and ensure human and asset safety by providing rapid and complete information flow to address time-critical system responses and support reduced cost Operations and Maintenance (O&M). ISHM and CBM information models support early and iterative mission planning, launch decision support, system fault root cause and impact determination, system wear and degradation analysis and maintenance action planning. Computer-based training and operations procedures linked to this CBM information-flow enables lower cost operations and repairs. ISHM and CBM tools provide affordable integrated solutions to address many of the Constellation program ground systems and spaceflight requirements. This paper discusses applications of ISHM and CBM systems to increase safety and reduce costs for small and large-scale space missions. These systems and technologies provide the information-flow that enables the innovation required for deep space missions and colonization activities, including robotic missions. Proven cost savings realizations from large-scale commercial, space and military systems will be presented as exemplary material for enabling affordable logistics. Historical cost savings due to reductions in false pull rates, reduced cost operational support requirements and optimized maintenance will be discussed. Key linkage to logistics databases and ISHM and CBM tools will be discussed in this paper/presentation.