Integrated Model-Based Systems Engineering methodology for design, analysis and simulation of an Environmental Control and Life Support System for an Analog Habitat

In human spaceflight, the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is an essential part of a mission, as it provides the necessary conditions for sustaining life within space habitats. Designing a long-duration human spaceflight mission requires developing a highly reliable and complex ECLSS, which must be integrated into the overall mission architecture. The traditional document-centric systems engineering approach might be inadequate for managing this level of complexity. In contrast, a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodology could significantly improve the design, management, and traceability of such a complex system. The ECLSS design process is highly iterative and recursive, involving the evaluation of technologies and system configurations through simulations, analysis tools, and hardware/software testing. To support the process, this thesis proposes an integrated MBSE approach that connects the system model to engineering analysis tools, enabling continuous performance assessment and iterative model refinement throughout the design phases. The main research contributions of this work are: (i) the development of a method that integrates a standard MBSE methodology with an arbitrary set of analysis or simulation tools while ensuring consistency and enabling automated system evaluation, and (ii) the demonstration of how an integrated MBSE approach can support the design of an ECLSS architecture. The effectiveness of this approach in supporting the design process is explored through its application to the preliminary design of an ECLSS for an Analog Habitat. The system model is developed using the Arcadia methodology implemented in the Capella modeling tool and is connected to an Equivalent System Mass (ESM) and reliability analysis tool, as well as to Virtual Habitat (V-HAB), a MATLAB-based simulation tool developed at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), specifically designed for the simulation of life support systems. As the design process progresses, more advanced engineering analyses can be integrated using the same method. This work highlights how an integrated MBSE approach can facilitate early validation and verification, enhance the detection and resolution of design issues, accelerate design iterations, reduce errors, and enable the rapid assessment of design changes. These capabilities enhance the overall efficiency and robustness of the ECLSS design process.