TIPS - An Integrated Solution for Multi-Mission Telemetry

Abstract

The Air Force Space and Missile Test Center (SAMTEC) must provide concurrent support for a variety of missions requiring real time telemetry data acquisition and processing. An integrated system is presently going operational to replace seven individual complexes presently supporting these missions. The Telemetry Integrated Processing System (TIPS) includes six real-time input streams, a large-scale near-real-time processor, and six interactive display areas. The TIPS facilitates rapid reconfiguration to meet changing operational needs or to continue operation in the face of equipment failures. The cost and lead time required for support of new requirements and also operation and maintenance costs will be substantially reduced. TIPS is the first Air Force data system processed under the Design-to-Cost/Life Cycle Cost (DTC/LCC) philosophy; all design and specification changes are evaluated in terms of operational as well as initial costs. Notable achievements in the TIPS implementation are the Telemetry Compiler and the real-time acquisition and processing subsystems which are described in accompanying papers.