Autonomy at Levels for Spacecraft

Abstract

Autonomy at Levels is the idea that autonomy should be embedded within and throughout a spacecraft. Using Systems Engineering methods a spacecraft is typically decomposed into systems, subsystems, assemblies, components, and so on. All these decomposition levels within all the spacecraft's systems, could and should have autonomy elements built in. As a result, the "autonomy system" is made of autonomy elements or units that are integrated, distributed and embedded within the whole spacecraft. This is like how the power system would be designed and implemented. Linking control loops and autonomy loops illustrates how to achieve Autonomy at Levels.