(U) Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) Phase 2A/B

(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).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program will completely overhaul and modernize both the Eastern Range at Patrick AFB, FL, and the Western Range at Vandenberg AFB, CA, treating both as a single integrated range system.  RSA, divided into two phases, will develop the integrated range system using remote control and automation techniques to reduce the number of required operators, sites and facilities, and improve responsiveness. 

Description: (U)
(U)  Two national ranges, the Eastern Range and Western Range provide tracking, telemetry, communications, command/control and other support capabilities necessary to safely conduct civil, commercial and national security spacelift operations, ballistic missile test and evaluation (T&E), and a variety of aeronautical and guided weapons T&E. 

(U) Current range assets are based on 1950's and 1960's designs and technology, and are arrayed in a highly inefficient, manpower intensive architecture.  Range instrumentation reliability is deteriorating and over 40% of the components are obsolete without sources of support.  The ranges currently do not provide the responsiveness and flexibility critical to affordably support the nation's space lift needs.  

(U) The FY 1996 RSA Phase 2A contract was competitively awarded to provide design and integration of the complete range architecture and also procure a Western Range Operations Control Center; imaging systems; communications systems; mobile metric, telemetry and command assets; surveillance systems; weather data collection and prediction systems; debris tracking systems; planning and scheduling systems and data processing/display systems.  A FY 2003 follow-on equipment contract will provide the primary telemetry receiving, metric tracking and command systems.

User Impact: (U)
(U) RSA is critical to the future of spacelift ranges.  Performance and cost goals cannot be achieved without RSA.  The result will be a reconfigurated range system capable of  a major operation in less than 4 hours versus 2-3 days.  An objective of RSA is to operate for 20% less than current range costs but is supportable through existing Air Force logistics infrastructure and standard practices.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Programmable.
	(U) IOC: 10/2005 (1QFY2006).
		(U)  RSA Phase 2:  Contact Award 1FY96; 
(U)  System Requirement review 4FY96; 
(U)  System Design Review 2FY97;  
(U)  Integ & Test First Del 2 FY97; 
(U)  Integ & Test 2nd Del 4FY99.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) COMMU, Eastern Range, Network Operations Upgrades, Range Upgrades, RSA Phase 1, Western Range

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Range Standardization & Auto., Spacelift

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) National Security Space Road Map, SPACE FORCES SUPPORT.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
17 June 1998

(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).)