A New Reliability Improvement Goal Allocation Method for Deep Space Exploration Missions

Deep space exploration missions are complex engineering projects that integrate various systems and subsystems including commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products, as well as newly developed and modified products. This study provides a reliability improvement goal allocation methodological framework for deep space exploration missions. The method first identifies the reliability improvement candidates using three-dimensional risk assessment techniques, systematically evaluating product characteristics (i.e., whether they are newly developed, modified or COTS products), their criticality to mission reliability, and the technical feasibility of reliability improvement. Then, an optimization-based rating allocation method is developed to allocate the reliability improvement goal among different reliability improvement candidates in the mission. Finally, a deep space exploration mission is used as a case to illustrate the effectiveness of our method.