Designing space systems with integrated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) strategies - with Texas Instruments

Designing space systems with integrated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) strategies - with Texas Instruments

Author: satsearch December 15, 2025 Duration: 34:55

Episode 83 of The Space Industry podcast by satsearch is a conversation with Adrian Helwig, Analog Field Application Engineer, and Michael Seidl, Systems Engineer from Texas Instruments (TI), about designing space systems with integrated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) strategies.

TI is a global electronics manufacturer with a wide portfolio of space-grade components to support space missions across the spectrum.

In the episode, Adrian, Michael and satsearch COO Narayan Prasad Nagendra discuss:

  • FDIR as a complex, critical sequence in space system design: Since equipment in space cannot be manually repaired, systems must quickly and reliably detect faults, isolate the damaged unit (e.g., by switching it off), and recover mission operations, often by engaging a redundant unit.
  • Trade-off between reliability, performance, and cost: Engineers face this trade-off particularly when selecting components that must withstand extreme environments (radiation, temperature cycles) and long missions (LEO vs. GEO/Deep Space). Using non-space-grade parts introduces significant risk and defeats the purpose of FDIR.
  • Effective fault containment based on integrated, smart strategies: Strategies that avoid complexity, using methods like galvanic isolation, fast load switches, and highly-integrated space-grade components that incorporate diagnostics and can execute complex decision-making based on multiple sensor inputs (voltage, current, temperature) prevent fault propagation.

You can find out more about TI on their satsearch supplier hub. And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global space supply chain, please take a look at our blog.

[Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/when-we-get-there License code: Y4KZEAESHXDHNYRA]



Behind every rocket launch, satellite deployment, or ambitious plan for lunar exploration, there are teams of people turning science fiction into balance sheets and engineering reality. The Space Industry, from satsearch, pulls back the curtain on this dynamic world, moving beyond headlines to share the personal stories and hard-won insights of the individuals building commercial space companies. This isn't a series about distant theories; it's a close-up on the present-day innovators whose work in technology and science is actively shaping how we access and utilize orbit. Each conversation in this podcast reveals the nuanced opinions and deep expertise driving progress, from propulsion specialists and materials scientists to founders navigating the unique challenges of a capital-intensive field. You'll hear firsthand about the evolving technologies, business models, and collaborative partnerships defining the new space age. The discussions are grounded and specific, offering a genuine sense of what it takes to operate in this sector. For anyone curious about the practical business of space-the logistics, the breakthroughs, and the human ambition behind it all-this series provides an essential connection to the source.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 84

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