International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1993 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) introduces an important new element into the Mission planning and operation processes of the Western Range and its users. In the past, safe and successful completion of a ballistic or space operation was the primary mission of the Range. Under START, the Western Range has the added responsibility of playing a major role in the verification process necessary for a safe reduction of the world's ballistic nuclear weapons. This paper describes the impact of the Treaty on both the Western Range and its users while outlining how the Range has adapted to meet the challenges introduced by the Treaty.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1999 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Time-Space-Position-Information (TSPI) visualization systems used today at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) and simulation visualization tools used at the Air Armament Center (AAC) utilize two-dimensional (2D) display systems for both real-time and post-mission data analysis. Examples are monitors and large screen projection systems. Some TSPI visualization systems generate three-dimensional (3D) data as output, but the 3D data is translated so that it is compatible with 2D display systems. Currently, 3D volumetric display systems are being utilized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for monitoring air traffic in 3D without 3D goggles. The aircraft’s position information is derived from radar and fed to a volumetric display. The AFFTC and AAC need a similar system for Open Air Range testing utilizing the Global Positioning System (GPS) as the source of position information and Installed Systems Testing utilizing 6 Degree of Freedom (DOF) flight simulation data as the source of position information. This system should be capable of displaying realistic terrain structures, vehicle models and physical test configurations along with text data overlays. The ability to display the mission in real-time on a volumetric 3D display makes it possible for test engineers to observe resource utilization continuously as the mission develops. Quicker turn-around times in the decision process will lead to more efficient use of limited test resources and will increase the information content of the data being collected.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / The future of range operations in the area of expendable launch vehicle (ELV) support is unquestionably headed in the direction of space-based rather than land- or air-based assets for such functions as metric tracking or telemetry data collection. To this end, an effort was recently completed by the Air Force’s Eastern Range (ER) to certify NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) as a viable and operational asset to be used for telemetry coverage during future Titan IV/Centaur launches. The test plan developed to demonstrate this capability consisted of three parts: 1) a bit error rate test; 2) a bit-by-bit compare of data recorded via conventional means vice the TDRSS network while the vehicle was radiating in a fixed position from the pad; and 3) an in-flight demonstration to ensure positive radio frequency (RF) link and usable data during critical periods of telemetry collection. The subsequent approval by the Air Force of this approach allows future launch vehicle contractors a relatively inexpensive and reliable means of telemetry data collection even when launch trajectories are out of sight of land-based assets or when land- or aircraft-based assets are not available for support.