Model-Based Fault Detection and Diagnosis System for NASA Mars Subsurface Drill Prototype

The DAME drill system incorporates a large degree of autonomy - from quick diagnosis of system state and fault conditions to making the appropriate recovery actions - while also striving to achieve as many of the operational objectives as possible.

This paper outlines, on a general level, the overall DAME architecture, equipment, and autonomy package. The main focus, however, is on describing the model-based fault detection and diagnosis system, including the modeling approach, the fault modes handled, and the diagnostic algorithms. The results of the latest field tests, conducted in 2006 in Haughton Crater on Devon Island (a Mars analogue site in Canadian Arctic), are also discussed.