1. Using STK for on-the-air Missile/Weapons Range Mission Readiness and Mission Capability Assurance
Steve Williams
RT Logic
12515 Academy Ridge View
Colorado Springs, CO 80920 ,

2. T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
Receive Station
Or System
Whenever transmitters and receivers are in motion with respect to each other…

3. T400CS Channel Simulator Overview
Receive Station
Or System
…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.
Nominal and worst-case
RF COMMS Link Tests
Are Critical

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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.)

7. T400CS Simplified Block Diagram
STK
RF Frequency Down-Converters
RT Logic T400CS Channel Simulator
RF Frequency Up-Converters
Signal Generators
Spectrum Analyzers
Channel Simulators
STK Engine
Files
RT Logic
STK Bridge
Device
Under
Test
Ethernet
IF / RF
Signal Conditioners
4DX
Amplifiers
RT Logic
GUI

8. Application Example Range Testing

9. Test Ranges General Test Range Business Model STK Channel Simulator
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.

10. Loading ALCM to B-52 Bomb Bay
USAF Photo

11. Loading ALCM on B-52 External Pylons
USAF Photo

12. B-52 Takeoff
USAF Photo

13. B-52 in Flight with ALCMs on External Pylons
USAF Photo

14. ALCM Launch from B-52 Bomb Bay
USAF Photo

15. ALCM Test Flight
USAF Photo

16. ALCM Transmitting Telemetry
TM Site
Telemetry from ALCM
Boeing Photo

17. Different Attenuation
ALCM Test Flight
TM Site
TM Site
Same general signal at
Each TM site from ALCM:
Different Doppler
Different Delay
Different Attenuation
Etc.
TM Site
TM Site (Mobile)
USAF Photo
TM Site

18. ALCM Test Flight Mission Control Center:
TM Site
Mission Control Center:
Mission safety and best-source telemetry
TM Site
TM Site
TM Site (Mobile)
USAF Photo
TM Site

19. Range and Mission Assurance Asset
TM Site
TM Site
T400CS Channel Simulator + STK
Generates the same signals, but no flight is required.
Key Range and Mission Assurance Asset.
TM Site
TM Site (Mobile)
USAF Photo
TM Site

20. Initial System Test (15 Jul 2009 @ UTTR)

21. UTTR – Wendover Peak TM Site
UTTR Goshute TM Site
(as viewed from Wendover
Peak TM site)
RT Logic Photo
RT Logic Photo

22. UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
Spectrum Analyzer (Top)
S-Band Power Amplifier (Middle Unit)
RT Logic T400CS Channel Simulator (Bottom Unit)
RT Logic Photo
RT Logic Photo
Laptop Running STK and T400STK Bridge
RT Logic Photo

23. UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
Transmit Signals from Wendover Peak to Goshute as if they came from the ALCM.
RT Logic Photo

24. UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site
RT Logic Photo
RT Logic Photo

25. 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)

26. 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

27. How AGI software was applied
Temporary use of “Chains” to specify T400CS operation.

28. How AGI software was applied
STK 9 Implementation will be much better integrated.

29. 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

30. 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.