5.4.

1 Reliability of space systems

Space Mission Design and Operations
Prof. Claude Nicollier

Credits: NASA
Reliability and redundancy – Definitions

● Reliability R(t) = probability that the system will not

fail in the interval (0, t).
● MTTF = Mean Time To Failure, average time
duration until first failure.
● MTBF = Mean Time Between Failures, average time
duration between two consecutive failures.
● Failure rate λ(t) = MTBF-1, in hours-1 or months-1.
● Probability of failure λ(t)dt = probability that the
system will fail between t and t+dt, knowing that it
still works at time t.

Space Mission Design and Operations

Reliability and redundancy – Equations
● If λ is constant and expressed in hours-1 or months-1.

● For , the approximation can be used.

Space Mission Design and Operations

Reliability and redundancy – Example

● Interplanetary probe equipped with a non redundant

processor with a MTBF = 1/λ = 30 months.
● Probability of proper functioning of the processor after
two years:

● The preceding example was very simplified (only one

system with a failure rate independent of time).
● Reality is more complex!

Space Mission Design and Operations

Space Shuttle safety design concept

Human rating: example of the Space Shuttle:

●Two-failure tolerance: fail operational – fail safe.

●No single crew error lead to a catastrophic event.
●Quality build, and quality control.
●Inspections.
●FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis).

Space Mission Design and Operations