The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).
(U) Air Force Space Test and Evaluation Division
(U) The Air Force Space and Missile System Center, Space Test and Evaluation Division (SMC TEO) under the Space and Missile Test & Evaluation Directorate (SMC TE) is located at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It provides world-class research and development test and evaluation RDT&E services. SMC TEO, the satellite operations arm of SMC TE, works with customers to create, evaluate, demonstrate, adapt, and exploit new technologies and test methods to provide safe, cost-effective space and missile system testing.
(U) SMC/TEO major resources include the RDT&E Support Complex (RSC), Center for Research Support (CERES), and a series of deployable test units.
(U) The RSC is a new generation satellite tracking, telemetry, and command TT&C system located at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM. The complex supports both simple RDT&E satellites that have small, dedicated ground control systems; and larger, more complex satellites using the organic RSC satellite ground control system via the AF Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). The RSC's organic TT&C system is based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software. It is designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate the dynamic needs of RDT&E satellites, and it has an open architecture using distributive processing. The design provides a variety of capabilities including: experiment and mission planning, experiment test support, in-space experiment test and evaluation, scientific experiment data processing and analysis, and user personnel training and rehearsal support. At present, three strings of equipment are procured and installed; eventually, the RSC will have five strings of equipment, allowing up to five simultaneous spacecraft supports and system development activities.
(U) CERES is a test facility located at Falcon AFB, CO, that provides support to the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) test programs. It performs on-orbit test of BMDO-related satellite programs and provides data flow from the AFSCN, as well as other test facilities, to users within the Joint National Test Facility (JNTF). The CERES command and control system also serves as the prototype for the RSC. The CERES system consists of COTS hardware and software in a distributed, open processing environment. This environment provides the flexibility to make rapid and economical improvements to the system to meet BMDO, RSC, and general satellite test requirements.
(U) The deployable systems are modular architecture test resources capable of world-wide deployment using standard commercial or government modes of transportation and can be fully operational within 24 hours of arrival on-site. Based out of Kirtland AFB, NM, these state-of-the-art assets provide support for factory/launch site satellite compatibility tests as well as on-orbit test and control of research and development spacecraft. SMC/TEO owns and operates four S-Band Transportable Ground Stations, one Transportable Vehicle Checkout System, two Transportable S-Band Terminals, and one Transportable Space Test and Evaluation Resource.
(U) SMC/TEOs near-term RDT&E mission requirements consist of 12 major programs: Radar Calibration (RADCAL), Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX), Miniature Sensor Technology Integration 3 (MSTI-3), Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative (SSTI), Fast On-orbit Recording of Transient Events (FORTE), Space Test Experiment Platform Mission 4 (STEP 4), Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS), Polar Ozone Aerosol Measurement III (POAM III), Tri-Service Experiment Complement 5 (TSX-5), MightySat, Space Based Infrared-Flight Demo System, and Space Based Laser Demonstrator.
(U) RSC Final Operational Capability (FOC) occurred on 21 Jun 97 when all three RSC operational strings were tested and verified ready for real-time mission operations. CERES commanded its first satellite in April 97. SMC/TEO just completed the transition from Onizuka ASN, CA, to Kirtland AFB, NM on 12 Jun 97.
Related Initiatives (U):
| Name | Title |
|---|
| MSTI | Miniature Sensor Technology Integration (MSTI) |
This Table Is Unclassified.
Related Categories (U):
Road Map Placements (U):
Requirements, Funding and Additional Hotlinks (U):
Date Of Information (U):
(U) 21 November 1997
HOME
USER GUIDE
INDEX
(U) For comments/suggestions contact: Office of the National Security Space Architect (NSSA), 571-432-1300.
(U) Road Map Production Date: 18 June 2001
The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).