Trajectory determination and telemetry receiving system evaluation
Abstract
A highly mobile, relatively inexpensive trajectory determination and telemetry receiving system has been previously developed to support sounding rocket launches at remote launch sites, where telemetry trackers and radar sets are not available. An S-band autotrack antenna system is used to provide telemetry data reception and azimuth and elevation angles to the position of the target being tracked. The tracking system is called Tratel for tracking and telemetry. The range to the target being tracked is provided by a PCM ranging system, called Tradat for trajectory data. The range from Tradat is used with the azimuth and, elevation angles from Tratel to provide the trajectory data. This report provides a trajectory evaluation of the Tratel/Tradat system for five sounding rocket flights, launched during three missions at two launch sites. The trajectory data was evaluated by comparing it with data from fixed site radar sets. Excellent quality telemetry data and autotrack azimuth and elevation data was received from all rockets in all three missions. Range data from the first two missions was excellent and range data from three of the five rockets in the third mission was good enough, with computer editing, to provide adequate trajectory data support for the mission. (The third mission was hampered by the loss of an airborne ranging receiver on one of the rockets prior to launch, and by ranging dropouts due to an improper modulation adjustment to the ranging transmitter.) This evaluation shows that the Tratel/Tradat system can provide excellent quality trajectory and telemetry support for sounding rockets launched at remote launch sites.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- November 1976
- Bibcode:
- 1976STIN...7726216F
- Keywords:
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- Rocket Launching;
- Sounding Rockets;
- Telemetry;
- Trajectory Control;
- Atmospheric Composition;
- Receivers;
- Remote Sensors;
- Rocket Sounding;
- Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command and Tracking