AeSOP: an interactive failure mode analysis tool

Abstract

AeSOP (Aerospace Safety Oriented Petri Net) is an interactive failure mode analysis tool developed at The Aerospace Corporation. It automates a Petri net-based safety analysis technique developed by Leveson and Stolzy (1987) in which a reachability graph is analyzed backwards to identify potential failure modes of the system. AeSOP provides a flexible analytical environment where a user can arbitrarily assume the occurrence of "unpredictable" events and analyze their impacts to system behavior. It also implements several features designed to assist safety analysis on complex systems. This paper describes the use of AeSOP in performing failure-mode analysis using a simplified shuttle orbiter model where the impacts of a potential engine failure and the astronauts' selection of a recovery mechanism are analyzed. Finally, it describes enhancement plans to AeSOP.<>