Achieving Over-The-Horizon Requirements Using Low Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOS)

1. Achieving Over-The-HorizonRequirements UsingLow Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOS) Presented by Eric Saikin

2. Customer Requirements • To meet customers evolving requirements for threat representative systems in simulated tactical situations requires capabilities not currently available

3. Customer Requirements • Multiple (up to eight) air-launched targets in an Over-The-Horizon (OTH) engagement on a range with limited support • Ability to support fleet training • Ability to support open ocean exercises

4. CONOPS Low Earth Orbit Satellite Ground Station

5. LEOS/CIS System • What is it? • Low Earth Orbit Satellite (LEOS)/Command Interface Simulation (CIS) System • Portable system for use at remote sites to control multiple vehicles over-the-horizon • Interoperable with existing range equipment

6. Command & Control Data Link • Low Earth Orbit Satellite • Utilizes low earth orbit satellite modems for data link for command and control of vehicle • Vehicle GPS location and performance data is transmitted back to ground station via satellite modems • Bandwidth of satellite modem is sufficient to control vehicle • Globalstar currently has greater bandwidth than IRIDIUM

7. Ground Station • Command Interface Simulation • Self-contained and portable and provides everything needed to conduct a complete mission at a remote site • Complete mission planning, checkout, control, situational awareness, and data reduction • Ethernet backbone enables extremely robust and flexible system using off-the-shelf components

8. LEOS/CIS System • Features • Small, lightweight, portable, and expandable system • High-speed Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) enables all information to be shared amongst connected components • Off-the-shelf, ruggedized laptops provide reliable, replaceable, low maintenance equipment • Interoperable with existing range equipment by passing data back and forth

9. LEOS/CIS System • Features (cont’d) • CIS System can connect to the internet via firewall if needed • LEOS can utilize Iridium satellite data service, in lieu of Globalstar, with reduced bandwidth • LEOS/CIS System can be used to control water or land vehicles • Basic concept can be expanded to REPLACE existing target/UAV control systems

10. IRIDIUM Test • The flight test on 22 October 2002 demonstrated the ability to: • Plan and simulate a flight path • Modify and download an updated flight plan prior to launch via a remotely located Radio Frequency (RF) data link • Automatically control the flight path without operator intervention • Modify the flight path during the mission using an OTH data link • Perform payload operations during manual and automatic flight operation

11. NAL Research Corp IRIDIUM Data Modem Cloud Cap Technology Piccolo Avionics (Navigator) Vehicle Interface Box Hardware

12. Flight Segments • The flight lasted approximately 51 minutes and consisted of three segments: • Manual control using the normal flight control system to verify operational functionality • OTH control of the vehicle • Manual control of the vehicle during the recovery sequence

13. Flight Path

14. Segment Summary • The vehicle was declared operationally functional after 11 minutes of flight • OTH control of the vehicle lasted for 36 minutes • Normal recovery operations were performed upon command release from OTH system flight control • During the OTH controlled flight segment, no pitch or throttle adjustments were made by the operators

15. IRIDIUM Dropout • The IRIDIUM satellite communications link experienced one dropout lasting approximately 48 seconds • Simplistic redial software not optimized for fast reacquisition • Expect to be able to significantly reduce this time

16. Wide Turns

17. Straight Leg Cross Track

18. ITCS Data Rates

19. Data Rates • IRIDIUM – 1200 bps • Globalstar – 7200 bps

20. Demonstration Flight Test • First Flight – ability to control target using commercial Low Earth Orbit Satellites • Universal Replacement Auto Pilot (URAP) • Switch between three preplanned missions • Downlink GPS location and vehicle parameters for situational awareness display • Evaluate ability to control vehicle manually

21. Globalstar Satellite Orbits Low Earth Orbits ~700 Miles Up

22. Uplink Command Sent to Airborne LEOS DKW Over Globalstar Satellite Link and 900 MHz Line-of-Sight Link (~0.35 Sec) Globalstar Satellite Low Earth Orbit ~700 Miles up 5 1 4 2 Globalstar Gateway at Clifton, Texas 3 URAP Equipped BQM-74E with LEOS DKW (Globalstar Satellite & 900 MHz) Building 189 San Nicolas Island, CA

23. Global Satellite “Mutual Footprints” Globalstar Satellite Footprints ~3000 Mile Diameter

24. Globalstar Data Link Testing • Data rate – 7.2 Kbps • Measured latency (92 samples) – 699 ms one-way • Measured connect/reconnect time (18 samples) – 6.8 sec • Connection time • Tests were run from one to three hours without a disconnect (engineers terminated the test) • Reconnect time • After one minute with no power – modem reconnects in five seconds • Indicates very robust data link

25. Globalstar Satellite Link (Over-The-Horizon) UHF Link (Line-Of-Sight) URAP Low Altitude Sea Skim Capability with Satellite and UHF Control Links

26. Airborne Transponder (DKW) and Globalstar Antenna

27. San Nicolas First Flight Mission Plan in Falcon View 3 missions with 3 turn radius for 60, 45, and 30 degree bank angles Launch Point Action Points Way Points

28. Situational Awareness Display Vehicle Flying in “Tube”

29. San Nicolas Island Launch Pad Control Building

30. BQM-74E on Launch Pad

31. Globalstar Ground Station

32. LEOS Ground Terminal

33. Vehicle Control Panels

34. Situational Awareness Display

35. Results • All objectives met • Vehicle switched missions when commanded • Operator had no problem controlling vehicle in manual mode • Satellite data link worked as expected