NASA Radar Altimeter for the TOPEX/POSEIDON Project

Article Abstract:

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Radar Altimeter (NRA) will be used in the TOPEX/POSEIDON Project altimetric mission as the primary measurement instrument. TOPEX/POSEIDON is a joint US-French mission to develop and run an Earth-orbiting satellite with sensors able to make accurate measurements of sea level. NRA, the first dual frequency altimeter, runs at 5.3 GHz and 13.6 GHz, C- and Ku-band, respectively; dual frequency operation supports height measurement corrections due to the ionospheric effects of the signal. Among the specific altimeter performance requirements are an output of height measurements averaged over one-second and three-second intervals so that 68 percent of the data points meet specific precision criteria; track acquisition within five seconds of losing lock in either dual channel or single channel operation; and a three-year lifetime, with an option for a two-year extension.

Space vehicle equipment, not elsewhere classified, Research, Product introduction, Radar, Satellites (Astronomical bodies), Oceanography, Geophysics, Measurement, Satellites, Space Craft, Scientific Research, Instruments, Radar Systems, New Technique, technical

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The evolution of the Mission Control Center

Article Abstract:

The display system for the Space Shuttle Mission Control Center is to be replaced with new technology under the Mission Control Center Upgrade program. The new design consists of high performance local are networks which transmit real-time and historical data to engineering workstations for processing and display. This architecture allows for a more flexible software development environment and more modular, expandable system. The mission control center communications and data processing facilities are discussed, with an emphasis on the upgraded architecture and the implementation of the LANs.

Local area networks, LAN, Workstations, Space Planning, Displays, Enhancements

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