International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1993 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / A long standing problem in telemetry post processing is the application of correct calibration factors to telemetered data generated on a system which has had a history of hardware changes. These calibration problems become most exacerbated when old test data is being examined and there is uncertainty as to hardware configuration at the time of the test. In this paper a mechanism for introducing a high degree of reliability in the application of calibration factors is described in an implementation done for Brilliant Pebbles Flight Experiment Three (FE-3).

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1992 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / Today’s telemetry preprocessing systems are often required to create and process new telemetry parameters by combining multiple actual parameters in a telemetry data stream. The newly created parameters are commonly referred to as “derived parameters” and are often required for analysis in real time at relatively high speeds. Derived parameters are created through algebraic or logical combinations of multiple parameters distributed throughout the telemetry data frame. Creation and processing of derived parameters is frequently performed in telemetry system preprocessors, which are much more efficient at processing time division multiplex data streams than general purpose processors. Providing telemetry system users with a “user friendly” method for creating and installing newly derived parameter functions has been a subject of considerable discussion. Successful implementation of derived parameter processing has typically required the telemetry system user to be knowledgeable of the telemetry preprocessor architecture and to possess software programming skills. An innovative technique which requires no programming language skills is presented in this paper. Programmers or non-programmers may use the technique to easily define derived parameter calculations. Both single derived parameters and multiple derived parameters may be calculated in the preprocessor at high throughput rates.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 27-30, 1997 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Low cost, commercial off-the-shelf Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers can be used to provide real-time track of ground launched subsonic, sea-skimming missile targets when integrated with existing telemetry equipment and commercial radio modems. GPS reference stations can be deployed that are capable of generating, broadcasting and monitoring Differential GPS corrections that effectively eliminate the deliberate position errors imposed by the Department of Defense. Commercial GPS receivers are effective and provide contiguous position data even during the boost phase of flight when G forces exceed the receiver manufacturer’s published specifications.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Joint Advanced Missile Instrumentation (JAMI), a Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP) initiative, is developing advanced telemetry system components that can be used in an integrated instrumentation package for tri-service small missile test and training applications. JAMI demonstrated significant improvement in the performance of low-cost Global Positioning System (GPS) based Time-Space-Position Information (TSPI) tracking hardware that can be used for world-wide test and training. Acquisition times of less than 3 seconds from a cold start and tracking dynamics to over 60 Gs were demonstrated. The design of a programmable Flight Termination Safe and Arm device has been completed. High dynamic testing results of GPS and Inertial measurement Unit (IMU) devices and problems encountered are discussed. Initial flight-testing of the JAMI components used on the missile and target and the ground processing of the data have been completed. This paper discusses the progress of the program during the past year and the efforts planned for fiscal year 2004.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1999 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Spacecraft communication simulators are extremely useful for integration and testing of spacecraft control centers and supporting ground systems. To reduce development costs, a Windows NT PC-based simulation system is being developed to support testing for upcoming NASA missions. The spacecraft simulation suite of tools integrates modules within a core infrastructure and is customized to meet mission unique specifications not met by the baseline system.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 30-November 02, 1989 / Town & Country Hotel & Convention Center, San Diego, California / The next 25 years will bring about a revolution in telemetry acquisition and processing. Airborne systems will become smaller and faster, providing additional monitoring and processing capabilities to test vehicles. In addition, ultra-high speed on-board data networks will provide communications between data collection and processing units. The telemetry platforms of tomorrow will be required to collect the entire contents of the data network, in a manner similar to today’s MIL-STD 1553 technology. The ground station of tomorrow will be required to process this bus information and provide it to the users for analysis. Ground station components, including intelligent front-ends and host processors could easily be replaced by a combination of on-board communication network processors (similar to the current 1553 processors) linked to a ground system data network. Processing could be shifted to the vehicle while ground functions remain dedicated to recording and analysis. Specialized workstations will provide for user analysis, history recording, and display. Ground networks will use shared (reflected) memory concepts to provide for addition of unlimited workstations separated by much greater distances than are associated with today’s shared memory systems.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 29-November 02, 1990 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / A series of artificial eggs has been developed for the New York Zoological Society to measure conditions in the nest of the white-naped crane (Grus Vipio). Investigations undertaken at the Bronx Zoo have endeavored to improve artificial incubation of the eggs of endangered species of birds. Artificial eggs were constructed and camouflaged so that a pair of birds would accept and incubate them. Inside each counterfeit egg, a radio telemetry transmitter was hidden to report on the temperature and humidity in the nest and the orientation of the egg itself with respect to gravity.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Telemetry Test Station has been developed at the Digital Systems Division, ISRO Satellite Centre, to test House Keeping Telemetry Packages which will be flown onboard satellites. The main feature of the Test Staion is its configurability, since it is intended to be used with different types of (low bit rate) telemetry packages. Other features include automation of test procedure, and reduction in testing time/increase in repeatability due to minimisation of manual interaction. Since the test station comprises GPIB controlled equipment, hardware and software, thf configurability should be built in at all levels and stages, from design to implementation. Thus since the specification is subject to change, the configuration for structure of the system is traosferred from the designer to the user. This results in a large part of the system being devoted to user interface design, since the computer which is an integral part of the setup must be ‘invisible’ to the user. Due to specialised requirements the user and the system are treated at peer level i.e, at any time during the entire test session, the user can override system process and verify/correct it and equally, the system must also verify/correct user input especially with regard to critical test procedures. The test tession itself (after configuration) is divided into three equally important sections: preprocessing, test and analysis. All the data required during the test run should be made ready before the actual test. Since it has been found by experience that this is not always convenient, the preprocessing software is integrated in to the test session so that the user can perform this at any time. Similarly, the results of the test can also be analysed immediately or even during the test to improve subsequent procedures. This paper describes the prototype telemetry test station which has been built and tested over the past two years. This performance has been satisfactory. The system integration features and design problems and solution are high lighted.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / During the requirements definition process for a new telemetry and data acquisition product, Veda Systems engineers had the opportunity to examine the requirements for the ideal bus architecture to support future needs. Design goals and requirements were solicited from major users in flight test, space ground station data monitoring and command applications, and C41, as well as Veda’s own engineers. The process resulted in a bus architecture design which could potentially set the standard for the next generation of telemetry and data acquisition systems. This paper outlines the design goals selected and the thought process that yielded the goals in an attempt to promote advancement of current bus design approaches and increased availability of standard architectures and operating environments.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 22-25, 1984 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada / This paper describes the physical environment that can result in random bit changes in space-borne memory systems. The impact of bit flips in digital telemetry systems is emphasized, with special attention paid to software requirements for protection from single event upset (SEU) effects. Some observations on incidence rates are presented along with an outline of hardware and software methods that can be taken to prevent future SEU problems. Several conclusions are drawn about strategies for preventing data corruption on the next generation of satellites in the presence of SEU-inducing particles.