Intelligent space power automation

A description is given of a power system testbed, space station module power management and distribution (SSM/PMAD). This testbed, designed and implemented for space station Freedom modules, uses intelligent control in automating PMAD as well as providing power system fault diagnosis and recovery. The authors describe the supporting hardware and software of the breadboard in the context of its global goal of intelligent power automation. They then consider how intelligence is distributed among the various software components of the system. An important aspect of the system approach to space system power management described, is that intelligent control is combined with fault management and activity and resource planning and scheduling to form the nucleus of a PMAD system manager. Also, deterministic processes which may, by definition, belong to knowledge-based operations have been removed and distributed to more fundamental lower level activities wherever possible