Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Chelson, P. O..
Computer program computes system reliability for very general class of reliability block diagrams. Four factors are considered in calculating probability of system success: active block redundancy, standby block redundancy, partial redundancy, and presence of equivalent blocks in the diagram.
A Monte Carlo mission simulation program has been developed to optimize the solar electric propulsion (SEP) thrust subsystem configuration for an Encke comet rendezvous mission. This program examines several possible options for interconnecting power processors to the mercury ion thrusters in order to enhance mission reliability and to reduce SEP subsystem weight. The quantity of power processors and ion thrusters required to perform the mission successfully depends not only on the total required thrust, but also on the individual thruster and power processor performance and reliability. Based on these considerations, it was necessary to determine the quantity of the active power processors and ion thrusters required at any time and the means of providing redundancy. The results provide the basis for selecting an optimum SEP thrust subsystem for this mission and other missions.
Abstract missing.
A method is presented for calculating event probabilities from an arbitrary fault tree. The method includes an analytical derivation of the system equation and is not a simulation program. The method can handle systems that incorporate standby redundancy and it uses conditional probabilities for computing fault trees where the same basic failure appears in more than one fault path.
The computer program listing for the MAIN program and those subroutines unique to the fault tree analysis are described. Some subroutines are used for analyzing the reliability block diagram. The program is written in FORTRAN 5 and is running on a UNIVAC 1108.
An analysis of in-flight spacecraft part hours and failure data from the Mariner Mars 1969 Project is given. It contains failure rates computed from this data for all electronic and electromagnetic parts on the Mariners 6 and 7 spacecraft. Also included are failure rates based on combining flight data from Mariners 4,5,6, and 7.
A method and a computer program are presented to calculate probability of system success from an arbitrary reliability block diagram. The class of reliability block diagrams that can be handled include any active/standby combination of redundancy, and the computations include the effects of dormancy and switching in any standby redundancy. The mechanics of the program are based on an extension of the probability tree method of computing system probabilities.
The computer program listing for the reliability block diagram computation program described in Reliability Computation From Reliability Block Diagrams is given. The program is written in FORTRAN 4 and is currently running on a Univac 1108. Each subroutine contains a description of its function.
TOPS spacecraft parts and technology development, reliability and contribution to long life system design
Computer program to calculate probability of system success from arbitrary reliability block diagram using IBM 1620