The Effect of Maintainability on the Mission Reliability of Two-Element Redundant Spacecraft Subsystems.

Charles G. Vandervoort

ResearchPublished 1965

Presentation of a technique for assessing the effect of maintenance on the reliability of those spacecraft systems in which the prime system is backed up by a redundant secondary one. Two types of reliability are considered. The first applies to such critical systems as life support, and failure is defined as the event in which both prime and secondary elements are inoperable even though repairable. The second applies to cases where temporary inoperability of both elements is allowed, and failure is defined as the event where both prime and secondary elements are nonrepairable. A key concept is that, in case of breakdown, repair is not necessarily assured. An index of repairability is developed to define the probability that a randomly occurring breakdown can be repaired, and the general structure of the two-element redundant repairable system and the parameters affecting mission reliability are defined. 62 pp

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1965
  • Pages: 62
  • Document Number: RM-4824-PR

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Vandervoort, Charles G., The Effect of Maintainability on the Mission Reliability of Two-Element Redundant Spacecraft Subsystems. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1965. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_memoranda/RM4824.html.
BibTeX RIS

This publication is part of the RAND research memorandum series. The research memorandum series, a product of RAND from 1948 to 1973, included working papers meant to report current results of RAND research to appropriate audiences.

This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.