Project Title:

Concept-Oriented Distributed Expert System for Spacecraft Control

07.02-1700
Concept-Oriented Distributed Expert System for
	Spacecraft Control
Omitron, Inc.
6305 Ivy Lane, Suite 500
Greenbelt, MD 20770
David E. Simm  (301-474-1700)
GSFC -- NAS5-30284

Abstract:

	 The innovation in this project is a prototype, distributed, concept-oriented, expert
system for application to spacecraft analysis, monitoring, and control. System functions
will be performed by semi-autonomous expert modules working together under the coordination
and control of a supervisory expert. Concept-oriented representations of both knowledge-base
and logical processes will be employed throughout the expert system, providing a
capability for abstract reasoning considered necessary to the feasibility of a distributed
system of this scope. 
	Phase I efforts demonstrated the feasibility of the concept-oriented approach by
the development and integration of a knowledge-base concept, processing kernel, and
supervisory expert functions with a software bus. This initial work also demonstrated
a method for effective representation and utilization of generalized knowledge. This
methodology was implemented in a system architecture specifically designed to support
a long-term strategy for development of large-scale, distributed-expert-system applications.
The completeness of the methodology was verified by implementation of a prototype
spacecraft analysis, monitoring, and control system.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Application: Distributed expert systems will provide increased
capability and autonomy for analysis, monitoring, and control facilities based both
on earth and in space and will reduce both manpower requirements and operator errors.