Vehicle Health Management and Ground Support System

Vehicle health management (VHM) is a key vehicle system requirement that will demonstrate an automated collection and paperless health decision, maintenance, and logistics system. VHM consists of the ground processing associated with the vehicle fleet, and the ground infrastructure health management. VHM is currently part of system health management for the X-33/RLV (reusable launch vehicle) platform.

VHM monitors and records systems data on the X-33 including flight bus, vehicle maintenance status, and flight test instrumentation sensor data. The system employs 50 remote health nodes that collect the data from 1200 sensors located on the X-33. The information is stored aboard the vehicle and transmitted to the ground support system during flight via telemetry downlink.

The X-33 is a half-scale prototype of a single-stage-to-orbit RLV being developed under a cooperative independent research and development agreement between NASA and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, (Palmdale, California). The X-33 will demonstrate the technical feasibility of creating a fleet of RLVs that will significantly reduce the cost of access to space and the time between space flights. The X-33 VentureStar™ advanced technology demonstrator will uplink vehicle health commands and downlink vehicle data to and from the VentureStar ground station.

OTHER EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

• Vehicle diagnostic management system

 

For more information, please contact:

Tim Root
Tel: +1 603 885 9421
timothy.root@baesystems.com