The Autonomy System Architecture

This paper introduces, and summarizes the development of, the Autonomy System Architecture (ASA) as a component based representation for developing and deploying highly autonomous and automated space exploration missions. As part of verification of ASA representation, we compare the components of ASA to widely-adopted supervisory and control architectures for decision-making and mechanisms for system operations, in order to illustrate these constructs support and map into the ASA architecture. The paper also outlines a 7-step framework for employing ASA with existing methods and processes to constructs models and analyses for trade space exploration for autonomy and automation within system-of-systems challenges, and then also compares this framework to two existing NASA tools and methodologies. The paper concludes with an outline of an ASA application problem example from the Constellation Program Lunar Outpost plans and briefly discusses the applicability of ASA to domains outside of space exploration.