ORBIT LOGIC INCORPORATED — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF151-087

Description

ABSTRACT:Orbit Logic, Analytical Graphics, and the University of Colorado propose to integrate new and improved SSA scoring and scheduling components in an innovative multi-user architecture and operations concept to coordinate tasking and observations for SSN and non-SSN assets to better maintain the space catalog for improved space situational awareness. Heimdall application components will appropriately score/prioritize space catalog objects based on covariance, priority, observability, and other factors, and coordinate an efficient sensor observation schedule for SSN assets while encouraging the contributions of non-SSN sensors to the SSA effort. We will develop an ops concept based on sensor participation levels of Scheduled, Tasked and Contributing. Scheduled and Tasked sensors will received optimized observation schedules or object tracking lists from the central algorithms, while Contributing sensors may review and select from a list of desired track objects. All sensors will send observation schedules and confirmed observations and related data to Heimdall to complete the feedback loop for the next scheduling iteration. The team has experience with tasking optimization software, including SSA-specific figures-of-merit, computing observation opportunity information gain, optimizing scheduling algorithms, and integrating software into the JSpOC. Phase I will culminate with a prototype Heimdall Web Application for tasking a network of sensors including actual observations by AGI COMSPOC SSA sensors.BENEFIT:The proposed Heimdall solution architecture and ops concept will provide a modern, centralized, and scalable solution to coordinate and optimize the use of available sensor assets through the ability to configure sensors contributing at various levels, and by providing the tools necessary to properly prioritize observation opportunities and generate optimized tasking schedules. The proposed system will enable responsive, information-based tasking and scheduling of a heterogeneous sensor network that varies not only in sensor capabilities and location, but also by configurable participation and classification levels. By providing feedback interfaces from the sensor sites and a common platform, the authorized sharing of information between sites is enabled for better overall cooperation and for responsive reallocation and tasking by the central planning and tasking component. Tasking and scheduling algorithm performance will enable truly responsive and automated sensor re-tasking at whatever frequency is required based on dynamic object catalog events, sensor status, or changing mission goals and priorities. The proposed solution architecture will enable the network of SSN and non-SSN sensors to meet (and in most cases beat) the Key Performance Parameters described in the SBIR topic and reiterated here for convenience: a) Time from central tasking to acknowledgment of receipt (Goal: <1 hour) b) Percent of accepted taskings successfully performed (Goal: >95 percent) c) Time from collect to data delivery (Goal: <1 hour) d) Time from missed collect to report (Goal: <1 hour ) e) Time from site outage or tasking conflict to central alert (Goal: <30 minutes) f) Time from alert of site outage to redistribution of tasking to remaining sites (Goal <30 minutes) g) Given a set number of sites and a number of Earth orbiting objects, average max axes of position error (Goal: <15 km) while maintaining a specified revisit rate on a subset of objects