Second-Order Path Incoherence as a Universal Failure Indicator in NASA Systems

This work introduces a second-order path incoherence functional defined purely on measured telemetry and applies it to six independent NASA investigations spanning mechanical, aerodynamic, material, software, and terrain–mobility systems. Without invoking constitutive models, internal state reconstruction, or domain-specific assumptions, the functional evaluates the temporal coherence of observed system trajectories. Across all cases, failure is shown to coincide with abrupt loss of second-order coherence rather than exceedance of force, stress, energy, or resource limits. The result provides a domain-agnostic, measurement-level diagnostic that complements existing NASA analyses by identifying when admissible system evolution collapses, even while first-order telemetry remains bounded.