Takayuki Yamamoto

<p>In this paper, anomaly detection that is configured as a combination of state observer and Mahalanobis-Taguchi (MT) method is proposed for real time fault detection of rapid and dynamic phenomena such as rocket engine operation. Real time anomaly detecting is recognized as one of the most important elements to realize advanced reusable space transportation system. Conventionally, bottom-up type anomaly detecting logic based on failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is usually used for this purpose, however, it requires large amount of time and labor. The proposed method can improve this process. In the present method, error values between calculated ones through rocket engine simulator constructed on autoregressive moving average model and extended Kalman filter (EKF) and measured ones are standardized with existing normal operation data of the rocket engine so as to compute Mahalanobis' distance, which expresses degree of anomaly. We performed engine hot firing tests in simulated anomaly conditions. The obtained data was processed with the present method, and the simulated anomaly in the tests was detected as expected.</p>

The Venus explorer, Akatsuki, was launch on 20 May 2010. After 200-day journey through the interplanetary transfer orbit, it reached the Venus at the altitude of 550 km on 7 Dec 2010. However, it experienced a trouble of the explorer's propulsion system and was not able to be the Venus orbiter. It now orbits the Sun with the period of 203 days. In this paper, we discuss the trajectory design strategies for Akatsuki mission by introducing the constraints which come from the observation orbit and the spacecraft system. The details of planning and the results of orbital maneuvers are also shown in this paper.