RANGE TELEMETRY IMPROVEMENT AND MODERNIZATION

Abstract

The system throughput capacities of modern data systems exceed the bit rate capacity of current range telemetry capabilities. Coupling this with the shrinking spectrum allocated for telemetry results in a serious problem for the Test, Training, and Space telemetry users. Acknowledging this problem, the Department of Defense (DoD) has embarked on an aggressive improvement and modernization program that will benefit both the government and commercial range providers and users. The ADVANCED RANGE TELEMETRY (ARTM) program was created and funded by the Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP) under the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Undersecretary for Acquisition and Technology to address this problem. The ARTM program goals are to improve the efficiency of spectrum usage by changing historical methods of acquiring telemetry data and transmitting it from systems under test to range customers. The program is initiating advances in coding, compression, data channel assignment, and modulation. Due to the strong interactions of these four dimensions, the effort is integrated into a single focused program. This paper describes the ARTM program and how academia research, emerging technology, and commercial applications will lay the foundation for future development.