Parametric fault estimation based on H∞ optimization in a satellite launch vehicle

Correct diagnosis under harsh environmental conditions is crucial for space vehicles’ health management systems to avoid possible hazardous situations. Consequently, the diagnosis methods are required to be robust toward these conditions. Design of a parametric fault detector, where the fault estimation is formulated in the so-called standard set-up for H∞ control design problem, is addressed in this paper. In particular, we investigate the tunability of the design through the dedicated choice of the fault model. The method is applied to the model of turbopump as a subsystem of the jet engine for the satellite launch vehicle and the results are discussed.