International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The use of remote ground stations for telemetry data-relay in space launch applications is costly and limits the geographic locations for launches of future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) systems. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space-based Telemetry and Range-Safety (STARS) Study is investigating the use of satellite data relay systems as a replacement or supplement for ground-based tracking and relay stations. Phase-1 of STARS includes flight testing that evaluates satellite data-relay feasibility, defines satellite system performance limitations, and generates requirements for the development of future satellite telemetry data relay systems. STARS Phase-1 ground-test results and goals for the Phase-2 system development and flight-testing are also presented.

ITC/USA 2007 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Third Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 22-25, 2007 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Joint Advanced Missile Instrumentation (JAMI) Program’s main thrust has been the integration of Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking technology into the Department of Defense (DoD) Missile Test Ranges. This technology could be used for Time, Space, Position, and Information (TSPI), Flight Termination (FTS), or End Game Scoring purposes. However the Program’s main goal is to develop Proof-of-Concept components only. Transitioning Missile technology developed by the Government to Private Industry, so that it can be economically mass produced, has been quite a challenge. Traditionally, private industry has had to bid on proposals without much detailed information on how these components have been designed and fabricated. These unknown risks, Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) and Missile Flight Qualification costs, routinely have significantly increased the price of these procurement contracts. In order so that the Fleet can economically utilize these components in the field, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) between the Government and Private Industry have been used to successfully transition Government developed technology to mass production. They can eliminate the NRE and flight qualification costs to provide for an economical and low risk method of providing the Fleet with the latest advances in GPS Tracking Technology. This paper will discuss how this is currently being accomplished in the development of a conformal wraparound instrumentation antenna for a five-inch diameter Missile Telemetry (TM) Section.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Missile Flight Test Safety Managers (MFTSM) and other flight safety personnel at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) constantly monitor the realtime space position of missile and airborne target vehicles and the telemetered missile and target vehicle performance parameters during the test flight to determine if these are about to leave Range boundaries or if erratic vehicle performance might endanger Range personnel, Range support assets or the nearby civilian population. WSMR flight safety personnel rely on the vehicle telemetry system to observe the Flight Termination System (FTS) parameters. A realtime closed loop that involves the ground command-destruct transmitter, the vehicle command-destruct receiver (CDR), other FTS components, the missile S-band telemetry transmitter, and the ground telemetry acquisition/ demultiplex system is active when the vehicle is in flight. The FTS engineer relies upon telemetry to provide read-back status of the flight termination system aboard the vehicle. WSMR flight safety personnel use the telemetry system to assess realtime airborne vehicle systems performance and advise the MFTSM. The MFTSM uses this information, in conjunction with space position information provided by an Interactive Graphics Display System (IGDS), to make realtime destruct decisions about missiles and targets in flight. This paper will aid the missile or target developer in understanding the type of vehicle performance data and FTS parameters WSMR flight safety personnel are concerned with, in realtime missile test operations.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1999 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Edwards Flight Test Range is a part of 20,000 square miles of DOD airspace (R-2508). A hypersonic air vehicle traveling above Mach 3 can easily exceed that airspace within seconds. An Unpiloted Autonomous Vehicle can exceed the airspace when flying long duration missions. To satisfy the flight-test requirements of Hypersonic Air Vehicles and Unpiloted Autonomous Vehicles, additional airspace and extended test ranges are required. The Air Force Flight Test Center and Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California have mutual goals to support these flight test programs. To meet these goals, the Extended Test Range Alliance was formed as an engineering and operations team to satisfy program requirements in the areas of telemetry, flight termination, ground communications, uplink command, and differential global positioning systems. This paper will discuss the resources and technical capabilities available through the Extended Test Range.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 27-30, 1997 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / This paper will investigate the areas which must be addressed to implement a truly integrated Range instrumentation system on a GPS-based Range, using a patented L-Band commanding scheme. Hardware issues will be highlighted as well the issues to be addressed in changing from an audio tone-frequency modulated command system to a digital system incorporating encryption and spread spectrum. Some thoughts addressing costs and schedule to incorporate this approach into the architecture of the U. S. Air Force Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) architecture, as a candidate GPS-based Range are also presented, as well as a discussion of the benefits to be accrued over the existing system, if this approach were adopted.