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Using STK for on-the-air Missile/Weapons Range Mission Readiness and Mission
Capability AssuranceSteve WilliamsRT Logic12515 Academy Ridge ViewColorado Springs, CO 80920719-598-2801, [email protected]
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T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
Whenever transmitters
and receivers are in motion with respect
to each other…
Receive Station Or System
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T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
…flight and ground systems must be fully tested against these conditions.
• Doppler Shift• Range attenuation• Range delay• Ambient RF noise• Jammers and interferers• Frequency selection, power levels and antenna
characteristics• Modulation type and data rate• Terrain and overhead obscuration• Natural and man-made atmospheric conditions• Flight paths, Orbits and Ground paths• Ground locations• Etc.
Receive Station Or System
Nominal and worst-caseRF COMMS Link Tests
Are Critical
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T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
Flight Equipment Testing– Examples: Receivers, transmitters, modems, decoders, algorithms,
etc.
Ground Equipment Testing– Examples: Receivers, transmitters, modems, decoders, algorithms,
etc.
Inter-vehicle Links– Example: LEO passing data to GEO
COMMS on the Move– Examples: Bouncing antenna on a Truck, Rolling antennas on Ships,
Etc.
Test Range Testing– Examples: Air-to-Ground, Ground-to-Air, Air-to-Air Weapons, Etc.
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T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
Tests must be realistic to have value– Nominal Case– Worst Case– “Gold” Regression
Tests Relative motion and
flight paths relate to most of the difficult conditions that need to be tested against
RT Logic Photo
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T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
Perfect Blend– T400CS adds hardware-in-the-loop testing to STK modeling
AGI’s STK – Setup, visualization and physics engine– Flight paths, RF COMMS parameters, Ground locations
Don’t have to understand flight/orbital dynamics Calculations are complex keep focused on work, not on tool Very technical channel simulator user model without STK commanding of T400CS
RT Logic’s T400CS Channel Simulator – Generates actual IF / RF signals
High fidelity, physics-compliant test signals from STK models Phase-continuous, smooth interpolation Carrier Doppler and Signal Doppler Signal impairments (Noise, fading, plume effect, etc.)
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T400CS Simplified Block Diagram
RT LogicSTK
Bridge
STK EngineFiles
DeviceUnder TestEthernet IF / RF
RF Frequency Down-Converters
RT Logic T400CS Channel Simulator
RF Frequency Up-Converters
Signal Generators
Spectrum Analyzers
Channel Simulators
Signal Conditioners
RT LogicGUI
4DX
Amplifiers
STK
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Application Example
Range Testing
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Test Ranges
General Test Range Business Model– Provide area for test flights– Provide safety to test operations– Collect telemetry from vehicles under test– Return best-source telemetry to customer
STK – Provides key test planning tool
Channel Simulator– Provides key signal generation tool
Large investments are at stake– Lives– Money (ALCM ($1M) + B-52 + Crew + Fuel + Range Staff + Range Fees …)– Range time is in short supply– Some test are one-shot and can’t be reflown
Together, these create a vital and unique range operations and mission assurance solution.
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Loading ALCM to B-52 Bomb Bay
USAF Photo
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Loading ALCM on B-52 External Pylons
USAF Photo
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B-52 Takeoff
USAF Photo
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B-52 in Flight with ALCMs on External Pylons
USAF Photo
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ALCM Launch from B-52 Bomb Bay
USAF Photo
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ALCM Test Flight
USAF Photo
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ALCM Transmitting Telemetry
TM SiteTM Site
Telemetry from ALCM
Telemetry from ALCM
Boeing Photo
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ALCM Test Flight
USAF Photo
TM SiteTM Site
TM SiteTM Site
TM SiteTM Site
TM Site (Mobile)TM Site (Mobile)
TM SiteTM Site
Same general signal atEach TM site from
ALCM:
Different DopplerDifferent Delay
Different AttenuationEtc.
Same general signal atEach TM site from
ALCM:
Different DopplerDifferent Delay
Different AttenuationEtc.
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ALCM Test Flight
USAF Photo
TM SiteTM Site
TM SiteTM Site
TM SiteTM Site
TM Site (Mobile)TM Site (Mobile)
TM SiteTM Site
Mission Control Center:
Mission safety and best-
source telemetry
Mission Control Center:
Mission safety and best-
source telemetry
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Range and Mission Assurance Asset
USAF Photo
TM SiteTM Site
TM SiteTM Site
TM SiteTM Site
TM Site (Mobile)TM Site (Mobile)
TM SiteTM Site
T400CS Channel Simulator + STK
Generates the same signals, but no flight is required.
Key Range and Mission Assurance Asset.
T400CS Channel Simulator + STK
Generates the same signals, but no flight is required.
Key Range and Mission Assurance Asset.
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Initial System Test (15 Jul 2009 @ UTTR)
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UTTR – Wendover Peak TM Site
UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
UTTR Goshute TM Site(as viewed from WendoverPeak TM site)
RT Logic Photo
RT Logic Photo
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UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
Laptop Running STK and T400STK Bridge
Spectrum Analyzer (Top)S-Band Power Amplifier (Middle Unit)RT Logic T400CS Channel Simulator (Bottom Unit)
RT Logic Photo
RT Logic Photo
RT Logic Photo
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UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
RT Logic Photo
Transmit Signals from Wendover Peak to Goshute as if they came from the ALCM.
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UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
RT Logic PhotoRT Logic Photo
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UTTR Test Results
Assure T400CS STK bridge functionality Assure T400CS with STK can transmit properly perturbed flight
path data, at RF, to a distant TM site. Assure normal MCC receipt of collected TM data.
Obtain data from an actual mission• ALCM Telemetry• Pointing Data (Azimuth, Elevation, Time)
Generate STK scenario from actual mission Run STK scenario driving Channel Simulators with actual data Compare MCC results from simulated mission to those from
actual mission Run similar tests at WSMR (late August, 2009)
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How AGI software was applied
T400STK Bridge– Uses STK Engine– Receives events from STK when important changes
take place– Queries STK for additional data when these events
occur– Performs further T400CS-specific calculations– Sends commands to T400CS via TCP/IP Sockets– No STK modifications were necessary
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How AGI software was applied
Temporary use of “Chains” to specify T400CS operation.
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How AGI software was applied
STK 9 Implementation will be much better integrated.
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Key technical attributes
Key attributes of STK that enabled this– Easy and flexible scenario creation– Strong visualization– Precise physics-engine modeling– STK Engine / True “Components” Architecture– Excellent customer support
Key attributes of T400CS that enabled this– True-to-nature signal generation– Hardware-in-the-loop capability– Client / Server instrument software model– Modular hardware and software architecture– Ethernet programmable
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Summary
STK is a world-class modeling tool.
T400CS is a world-class channel simulator.
Together, they enable true test.– Reduces test time and cost.– Reduces danger of some tests.– Improves depth and accuracy of test.– Keeps engineers focused on tests, not tools.– Creates a unique test system for a wide variety of
applications.