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, swilliams@rtlogic.com

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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.