WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE (WSMR) TELEMETRY TRACKING IMPROVEMENTS

Abstract

The WSMR Telemetry Tracking Systems consist of ten (10) automatic trackers and four (4) manual trackers. These trackers operate in the frequency ranges of 1435 to 1540 MHz and 2200 to 2300 MHz. Two Telemetry Acquisition Systems (TAS) with 24-foot parabolic antennas are located at fixed sites. A 6-foot parabolic antenna system has been converted from a mobile unit to a fixed-site system. Seven Transportable Telemetry Acquisition Systems (TTAS) with 8-foot parabolic antennas can be located on and off the range along with a mobile microwave relay station to support range tests. The RF subsystems on the seven TTAS’s have been miniaturized and integrated with the feed assembly resulting in a vast improvement in autotrack reliability. The digital slave tracking capability of the seven TTAS’s and two TAS’s has been improved by a joint effort between two WSMR organizations. Tracking System Interface (TSI) hardware and software were both developed in-house at WSMR by the Instrumentation Directorate. The National Range Operations Directorate, Data Collection Division, Telemetry Branch interfaced and installed the TSI to the tracking systems. The TSI utilizes two (2) Z80 microprocessors and is capable of slaving to instrumentation RADAR data in one of two modes. The first mode is dependent on the UNIVAC 1108, WSMR real-time computer complex, to convert the RADAR XYZ data to site oriented azimuth and elevation data. The second mode allows the telemetry trackers to accept RADAR XYZ data directly and perform its own coordinate conversion. An additional feature of the TSI is the test mode for self-checks, servo tests, and system readiness tests.