SBIR-STTR Award

Legacy satellite command and control Front-End Processors (FEPs) are constructed using largely monolithic architectures, making deployed baseline changes difficult. This rigidity creates restrictions and limits current TT & C mission capability and prevents increases in data throughput required by both large-scale satellite programs, CubeSat, and ORS missions. Many FEPs are comprised of dedicated hardware and firmware units built on proprietary platforms, requireing dedicated processors. System modifications are complicated by firmware timing constraints, hardware change complexity, and custom Graphical User Interfaces making them difficult to adapt to changing requirements. Today""s ground telemetry processing centers require increasing data throughput with the ability to meet real-time demands of processing multiple telemetry. Users need the ability to modify processing streams with OR without involving vendor personnel. These systems must be capable of being completely software-defined and deployed on Commercial Off-The-Shelf servers. Our Phase 1 proposal builds on our softFEP architecture and product foundation. We propose to gather and evaluate requirements in the areas of customer reconfigurability of FEP functions, code-generation of software devices into T & C functions and building virtual-machine based training and simulation for control centers. The effort concludes with a demonstration of the additional capability integrated with softFEP.

Benefit:
The benefits of exercising Phase 1 proposed initiative results in software-defined FEPs that are modifiable by end-user technical personnel without the need of detailed software knowledge. This initiative also provides the construct and tools for site implementation of smaller T & C systems for CubeSat type missions. Execution of this proposal also results in the enhancement of satellite and ground system emulation for environment simulation and training. These benefits have direct applicability into the commercial control center and satellite test markets.

The development of software front-ends with enhanced capabilities is critical to affordable satellite missions. New space vehicles, even small satellites, are significantly more capable than their predecessors. Concepts like disaggregation and hosted payloads are driving mission timelines to new extremes. Gone are the days of 10-year development cycles. New ground systems need to support quick turn programs and multiple missions. They need to be agile and allow for field modification of ground system resources. Software-based front-end processors and T&C applications are a key part of this transformation. Combining a software-based FEP with basic T&C capabilities, in a user-configurable, low cost platform becomes a game changer.

Benefits:
The creation of an integrated software-based FEP and T&C system has wide applicability in the ground satcom, satellite bus test and data acquisition markets for both government and commercial customers. We also foresee incredible potential in the CubeSat, hosted Payload, test, and launch domains. These require agile, light weight ground systems that are user modifiable. These systems lower both initial and life-cycle costs in each market. As these systems evolve to support new or expanded missions the functionality can be adapted quickly by non-programmer personnel.

Keywords:
Satellite Telemetry and Commanding, Data Acquisition, Software Front-End Processing, Spacecraft Test, CCSDS, Air Force Satellite Command Network (AFSCN), Data Recording, Software Simulation