A NEW HOME FOR WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE TELEMETRY DATA IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Abstract

The White Sands Telemetry Data Center (TDC) is moving to a new home. The TDC, along with various range functions, is moving to the new J. W. Cox Range Control Center (CRCC). The CRCC is under construction and will replace the present control center. Construction of the new CRCC and the resulting move was prompted by the presence of asbestos in the present Range Control Center (RCC). The CRCC construction will be completed in September 1999 at which time the communications backbone will be installed. (Estimated time to complete the installation is nine months.) In early 2000, White Sands will begin transition of the TDC and other commodity functions to the CRCC. The transition must not interrupt normal support to range customers and will result in the consolidation of all range control functions. The new CRCC was designed to meet current and future mission requirements and will contain the latest in backbone network design and functionality for the range customer. The CRCC is the single point of control for all missions conducted on the 3700 square mile range. The Telemetry Data Center will be moved in two parts into the new CRCC. This will allow us to run parallel operations with the old RCC until the CRCC is proven reliable and minimize overall downtime. Associated telemetry fiber optics, microwave communications and field data relay sites will be upgraded and moved at the same time. Since the TDC is so tightly dependent upon data input from both fiber optics and microwave communications inputs, a cohesive move is critical to the overall success of the transition. This paper also provides an overview of the CRCC design, commodity transition, and lessons learned.