Performance Standards for Eastern Test Range Telemetry Stations

Abstract

An extensive engineering effort has been directed toward the rehabilitation of Eastern Test Range telemetry stations during the past five years. Initial planning began, at an earlier date) with studies of range user program plans. These studies have continued throughout the development period to assure a close agreement between range user needs for telemetry data and station capabilities. The plan to rehabilitate telemetry stations on the range has included airborne and shipborne systems, as well as the landbased stations. The stated needs of range users, and the projection of equipment trends formed the basis for specifying new telemetry systems for the Range. Design, production, initial tests, and installation followed in rapid sequence. An evaluation phase was then implemented to determine the operational readiness of the integrated systems and to establish the levels of performance at which each station should be assigned for support. Recent telemetry developments on the Eastern Test Range are briefly described, with emphasis on the launch area telemetry station, Tel 4. This general-purpose telemetry station must be operated in many different modes and configurations to accommodate the various signal structures that are used. Tests that have been used to estimate the station capabilities and limitations when it is configured to receive PAM/FM/FM and PCM/FM links are described as examples of the evaluation concept.