Nikolena Christofi | European Space Agency (original) (raw)
Refereed International Conference Proceedings by Nikolena Christofi
The expansion of technology has introduced a new era of information and internationalization as w... more The expansion of technology has introduced a new era of information and internationalization as well as new opportunities for learning. This has lead companies, organizations, and research institutes all around the world to re-evaluate their working methods to meet the current needs of society. Consequently, the adaptation of new educational objectives to meet the current needs of the corporate world is becoming essential to guarantee a sustainable education. With open social learning, students benefit from the vast amount of available information online, depending on their personal needs, with the help of mentors throughout the way, under the umbrella of collaborative learning. The advantages of open social learning are being investigated and many platforms are being developed, so that students all around the world can take advantage of this new era of information. The Board of European Students of Technology (BEST) has been working towards identifying the needs and trends of the Educational System in Europe in the Tertiary Level, by facilitating proactive discussions of educational matters between the three stakeholders-companies, universities and students. The outcomes of these discussions are being presented on this paper, identifying some of the educational trends, along with the contribution of BEST as a non-governmental organization in the sustainability of an open social learning platform for university students.
6th International Conference on Robotics in Education (RiE ’15)
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the devel- opment of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interac- tively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The stu- dents will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking, landing and grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI). The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process according to a learner centered approach. The project is jointly undertaken by the ESA Education Office and the ESA Automation and Robotics Section, with the support of the Control Systems Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens. The development is taking place at the facilities of the Automation and Robotics Laboratory (ARL) of ESTEC, ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands.
Journal Papers & Book Chapters by Nikolena Christofi
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2017
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking and landing, or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI).
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The students interactively use the hardware , consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students will be able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking, and landing or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI). The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach.
Papers by Nikolena Christofi
Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in char... more Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in charge of their health monitoring as much as the spacecrafts themselves. Although the concept of Model-Based Diagnosis (MBD) in the field of autonomous systems-such as satellites, has long been researched and developed, that is not the case for their ground systems. Both satellites and ground stations operate autonomously. The latter however, are not equipped with the advanced Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) capabilities one finds today on-board all orbiting spacecrafts. The aim of the study presented in this paper is the improvement of ground stations' operational diagnostics by providing the operators with ad-hock, Operations-Dedicated Models (ODMs). The latter serve as a basis for the construction of the system's Digital Twin (DT) models. These models allow the operators react more quickly and more precisely to alarms raised by the station. By helping the operators identify the malfunction and correct it in the quickest delays, they can avoid loosing the next satellite telemetry (TM) data, thus saving precious time and costs. This would increase both the availability and maintainability of the system. In a larger framework, ODMs are ideally concurrently built and connected with the engineering and safety models of the system, in a sort of virtual continuous improvement loop. While the utter purpose of ODMs is their usage as the system's DTs during operations, they also contribute to the stations' architecture and robustness continuous improvement, through increasing its fault detection and mitigation capabilities. CCS CONCEPTS • Software and its engineering → System modeling languages; Design languages; Architecture description languages; Fault tree analysis; Operational analysis.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Sep 14, 2022
The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within na... more The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within narrow time constraints-in particular when dealing with faults. The use of formal models can help the design of these procedures and their validation, thus to assist operators. We propose to introduce a new type of Operations Dedicated Model (ODM) in the system design process, and suggest a formalism from the Behaviour Tree family. We assume that Safety Analysis (SA) models describe dysfunctional aspects of the system, notably via Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and propose a methodology for creating the ODM from a Fault Tree, so as to account for all possible fault events considered by FTA. We demonstrate this methodology on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) example, and discuss how this model improves the system's operations.
Advances in intelligent systems and computing, 2017
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardwaredeveloped physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking and landing, or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI).
Journal of Aerospace Information Systems
Current trends in the aerospace industry for the digitization of data, tools, and services call f... more Current trends in the aerospace industry for the digitization of data, tools, and services call for novel solutions that can keep track of the latest technological advancements. Moreover, the increasing drive toward model-based approaches imposes the use of models for the development of complex systems, such as satellites. New types of methods and tools are needed in order to manage the still-growing complexity of embedded systems and their corresponding models. This paper addresses issues related to space systems (in-service) operations and proposes a multimodel approach to address them. The multimodel approach aims at facilitating the task of operational diagnosis by creating a monitoring and diagnosis-dedicated system model derived from existing system design (architecture, functional behavior, and safety) models. The purpose of the diagnosis-dedicated model is to enable the codesign of the system and its diagnosis tools in order to improve the performance of diagnosis activities...
Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems: Companion Proceedings
Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in char... more Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in charge of their health monitoring as much as the spacecrafts themselves. Although the concept of Model-Based Diagnosis (MBD) in the field of autonomous systems-such as satellites, has long been researched and developed, that is not the case for their ground systems. Both satellites and ground stations operate autonomously. The latter however, are not equipped with the advanced Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) capabilities one finds today on-board all orbiting spacecrafts. The aim of the study presented in this paper is the improvement of ground stations' operational diagnostics by providing the operators with ad-hock, Operations-Dedicated Models (ODMs). The latter serve as a basis for the construction of the system's Digital Twin (DT) models. These models allow the operators react more quickly and more precisely to alarms raised by the station. By helping the operators identify the malfunction and correct it in the quickest delays, they can avoid loosing the next satellite telemetry (TM) data, thus saving precious time and costs. This would increase both the availability and maintainability of the system. In a larger framework, ODMs are ideally concurrently built and connected with the engineering and safety models of the system, in a sort of virtual continuous improvement loop. While the utter purpose of ODMs is their usage as the system's DTs during operations, they also contribute to the stations' architecture and robustness continuous improvement, through increasing its fault detection and mitigation capabilities. CCS CONCEPTS • Software and its engineering → System modeling languages; Design languages; Architecture description languages; Fault tree analysis; Operational analysis.
Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès, Sep 14, 2022
The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within na... more The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within narrow time constraints-in particular when dealing with faults. The use of formal models can help the design of these procedures and their validation, thus to assist operators. We propose to introduce a new type of Operations Dedicated Model (ODM) in the system design process, and suggest a formalism from the Behaviour Tree family. We assume that Safety Analysis (SA) models describe dysfunctional aspects of the system, notably via Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and propose a methodology for creating the ODM from a Fault Tree, so as to account for all possible fault events considered by FTA. We demonstrate this methodology on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) example, and discuss how this model improves the system's operations.
Proceedings of The 4th Electronic International Interdisciplinary Conference, 2015
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16–18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing bas...
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the development of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interactively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The students will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups perform...
The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failur... more The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failure occurs, operators must be efficient and proactive, as diagnosis must be completed within the smallest number of visibility windows (pass duration over the ground station which are usually very short and separated by long periods where the ground cannot communicate with the satellite). Improving the diagnosis procedure and tools, time and precision-wise, is therefore essential. The proposal presented in this position paper is to provide the operators with operation-dedicated models to help them in reacting quickly and in finding a suitable repair solution as fast as possible. These models will gather system architecture, functional and dysfunctional data taken from system engineering and safety analysis models. The paper presents the framework of the proposed solution and discusses different implementation options.
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the devel- opment of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interac- tively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The stu- dents will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups p...
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the devel- opment of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interac- tively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The stu- dents will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups p...
Adopting a model-based approach for satellite operations' diagnosis, 2020
The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failur... more The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failure occurs, operators must be efficient and proactive, as diagnosis must be completed within the smallest number of visibility windows (pass duration over the ground station which are usually very short and separated by long periods where the ground cannot communicate with the satellite). Improving the diagnosis procedure and tools, time and precision-wise, is therefore essential. The proposal presented in this position paper is to provide the operators with operation-dedicated models to help them in reacting quickly and in finding a suitable repair solution as fast as possible. These models will gather system architecture, functional and dysfunctional data taken from system engineering and safety analysis models. The paper presents the framework of the proposed solution and discusses different implementation options.
The expansion of technology has introduced a new era of information and internationalization as w... more The expansion of technology has introduced a new era of information and internationalization as well as new opportunities for learning. This has lead companies, organizations, and research institutes all around the world to re-evaluate their working methods to meet the current needs of society. Consequently, the adaptation of new educational objectives to meet the current needs of the corporate world is becoming essential to guarantee a sustainable education. With open social learning, students benefit from the vast amount of available information online, depending on their personal needs, with the help of mentors throughout the way, under the umbrella of collaborative learning. The advantages of open social learning are being investigated and many platforms are being developed, so that students all around the world can take advantage of this new era of information. The Board of European Students of Technology (BEST) has been working towards identifying the needs and trends of the Educational System in Europe in the Tertiary Level, by facilitating proactive discussions of educational matters between the three stakeholders-companies, universities and students. The outcomes of these discussions are being presented on this paper, identifying some of the educational trends, along with the contribution of BEST as a non-governmental organization in the sustainability of an open social learning platform for university students.
6th International Conference on Robotics in Education (RiE ’15)
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the devel- opment of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interac- tively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The stu- dents will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking, landing and grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI). The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process according to a learner centered approach. The project is jointly undertaken by the ESA Education Office and the ESA Automation and Robotics Section, with the support of the Control Systems Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens. The development is taking place at the facilities of the Automation and Robotics Laboratory (ARL) of ESTEC, ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands.
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2017
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking and landing, or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI).
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The students interactively use the hardware , consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students will be able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking, and landing or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI). The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach.
Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in char... more Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in charge of their health monitoring as much as the spacecrafts themselves. Although the concept of Model-Based Diagnosis (MBD) in the field of autonomous systems-such as satellites, has long been researched and developed, that is not the case for their ground systems. Both satellites and ground stations operate autonomously. The latter however, are not equipped with the advanced Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) capabilities one finds today on-board all orbiting spacecrafts. The aim of the study presented in this paper is the improvement of ground stations' operational diagnostics by providing the operators with ad-hock, Operations-Dedicated Models (ODMs). The latter serve as a basis for the construction of the system's Digital Twin (DT) models. These models allow the operators react more quickly and more precisely to alarms raised by the station. By helping the operators identify the malfunction and correct it in the quickest delays, they can avoid loosing the next satellite telemetry (TM) data, thus saving precious time and costs. This would increase both the availability and maintainability of the system. In a larger framework, ODMs are ideally concurrently built and connected with the engineering and safety models of the system, in a sort of virtual continuous improvement loop. While the utter purpose of ODMs is their usage as the system's DTs during operations, they also contribute to the stations' architecture and robustness continuous improvement, through increasing its fault detection and mitigation capabilities. CCS CONCEPTS • Software and its engineering → System modeling languages; Design languages; Architecture description languages; Fault tree analysis; Operational analysis.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Sep 14, 2022
The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within na... more The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within narrow time constraints-in particular when dealing with faults. The use of formal models can help the design of these procedures and their validation, thus to assist operators. We propose to introduce a new type of Operations Dedicated Model (ODM) in the system design process, and suggest a formalism from the Behaviour Tree family. We assume that Safety Analysis (SA) models describe dysfunctional aspects of the system, notably via Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and propose a methodology for creating the ODM from a Fault Tree, so as to account for all possible fault events considered by FTA. We demonstrate this methodology on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) example, and discuss how this model improves the system's operations.
Advances in intelligent systems and computing, 2017
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardwaredeveloped physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking and landing, or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI).
Journal of Aerospace Information Systems
Current trends in the aerospace industry for the digitization of data, tools, and services call f... more Current trends in the aerospace industry for the digitization of data, tools, and services call for novel solutions that can keep track of the latest technological advancements. Moreover, the increasing drive toward model-based approaches imposes the use of models for the development of complex systems, such as satellites. New types of methods and tools are needed in order to manage the still-growing complexity of embedded systems and their corresponding models. This paper addresses issues related to space systems (in-service) operations and proposes a multimodel approach to address them. The multimodel approach aims at facilitating the task of operational diagnosis by creating a monitoring and diagnosis-dedicated system model derived from existing system design (architecture, functional behavior, and safety) models. The purpose of the diagnosis-dedicated model is to enable the codesign of the system and its diagnosis tools in order to improve the performance of diagnosis activities...
Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems: Companion Proceedings
Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in char... more Successful satellite data reception requires the nominal operation of the ground stations in charge of their health monitoring as much as the spacecrafts themselves. Although the concept of Model-Based Diagnosis (MBD) in the field of autonomous systems-such as satellites, has long been researched and developed, that is not the case for their ground systems. Both satellites and ground stations operate autonomously. The latter however, are not equipped with the advanced Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) capabilities one finds today on-board all orbiting spacecrafts. The aim of the study presented in this paper is the improvement of ground stations' operational diagnostics by providing the operators with ad-hock, Operations-Dedicated Models (ODMs). The latter serve as a basis for the construction of the system's Digital Twin (DT) models. These models allow the operators react more quickly and more precisely to alarms raised by the station. By helping the operators identify the malfunction and correct it in the quickest delays, they can avoid loosing the next satellite telemetry (TM) data, thus saving precious time and costs. This would increase both the availability and maintainability of the system. In a larger framework, ODMs are ideally concurrently built and connected with the engineering and safety models of the system, in a sort of virtual continuous improvement loop. While the utter purpose of ODMs is their usage as the system's DTs during operations, they also contribute to the stations' architecture and robustness continuous improvement, through increasing its fault detection and mitigation capabilities. CCS CONCEPTS • Software and its engineering → System modeling languages; Design languages; Architecture description languages; Fault tree analysis; Operational analysis.
Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe - HAL - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès, Sep 14, 2022
The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within na... more The operation of industrial systems can involve complex procedures that must be applied within narrow time constraints-in particular when dealing with faults. The use of formal models can help the design of these procedures and their validation, thus to assist operators. We propose to introduce a new type of Operations Dedicated Model (ODM) in the system design process, and suggest a formalism from the Behaviour Tree family. We assume that Safety Analysis (SA) models describe dysfunctional aspects of the system, notably via Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and propose a methodology for creating the ODM from a Fault Tree, so as to account for all possible fault events considered by FTA. We demonstrate this methodology on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) example, and discuss how this model improves the system's operations.
Proceedings of The 4th Electronic International Interdisciplinary Conference, 2015
In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented... more In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16–18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing bas...
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the development of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interactively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The students will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups perform...
The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failur... more The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failure occurs, operators must be efficient and proactive, as diagnosis must be completed within the smallest number of visibility windows (pass duration over the ground station which are usually very short and separated by long periods where the ground cannot communicate with the satellite). Improving the diagnosis procedure and tools, time and precision-wise, is therefore essential. The proposal presented in this position paper is to provide the operators with operation-dedicated models to help them in reacting quickly and in finding a suitable repair solution as fast as possible. These models will gather system architecture, functional and dysfunctional data taken from system engineering and safety analysis models. The paper presents the framework of the proposed solution and discusses different implementation options.
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the devel- opment of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interac- tively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The stu- dents will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups p...
As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towar... more As part of its Education Programme, the European Space Agency (ESA) is taking several steps towards the devel- opment of Educational activities and platforms that use Space Robotics as a mean to support and reinforce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school education in Europe. In this paper the on-going development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical platform and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 y/o target group). The hardware, a friction-less air-hockey table (physical platform) engineered for this purpose, will be used by students to interac- tively acquire the necessary experience of the dynamics of space systems, as the environmental conditions and physical constraints that are characteristic of on-orbit systems are emulated. The stu- dents will be able to manipulate space robot (satellite) mockups p...
Adopting a model-based approach for satellite operations' diagnosis, 2020
The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failur... more The diagnosis procedure in satellite operations is constrained by strict time limits. If a failure occurs, operators must be efficient and proactive, as diagnosis must be completed within the smallest number of visibility windows (pass duration over the ground station which are usually very short and separated by long periods where the ground cannot communicate with the satellite). Improving the diagnosis procedure and tools, time and precision-wise, is therefore essential. The proposal presented in this position paper is to provide the operators with operation-dedicated models to help them in reacting quickly and in finding a suitable repair solution as fast as possible. These models will gather system architecture, functional and dysfunctional data taken from system engineering and safety analysis models. The paper presents the framework of the proposed solution and discusses different implementation options.