A Common Data Link (CDL) for Space-Based Communications: Migration of Airborne Hardware to Space
Abstract
CDL (Common Data Link) is the US military’s standard communications waveform for Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) in airborne platforms. In supporting this standard, the military has numerous air, sea and ground CDL systems for theater connectivity. What is missing from current CONOPS are space assets that can bring their tactical ISR data directly into the theater, allowing for responsive tasking and collection. With the advent of the Space CDL design, we can bring real-time tactical data into existing theater ground stations. Bringing space imagery in-theater from direct tasking is a feat never done before even by large satellites. The in-theater satellite imagery concept will be tested out with a small satellite demonstration, implementing a CDL waveform, using a modified airborne qualified CDL communications system in late 2005. The space qualified CDL design leveraged off a L-3 airborne design to the greatest extent possible, but several aspects of L-3’s design had to be altered for space applications and operations. Part selection alone was a significant driver in our design approach. Migrating a state-of-the-art, high data rate, communications, airborne design to space is no simple task since the list of approved parts is drastically limited. L-3 also leveraged the CTX-886 Space Transmitter for all non-baseband design portions. The success of L-3’s design created a significant savings in power, weight and volume over our existing airborne designs; a 58% power reduction, a 45% weight reduction, and a 73% volume reduction. Other design enhancements to the hardware include: • Operation in absence of software control • Independent power for uplink and downlink • Control by either the On Board Processor or Ground Station • Radiation tolerant components The performance, hardware and characteristics will also be discussed within the paper.
A Common Data Link (CDL) for Space-Based Communications: Migration of Airborne Hardware to Space
CDL (Common Data Link) is the US military’s standard communications waveform for Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) in airborne platforms. In supporting this standard, the military has numerous air, sea and ground CDL systems for theater connectivity. What is missing from current CONOPS are space assets that can bring their tactical ISR data directly into the theater, allowing for responsive tasking and collection. With the advent of the Space CDL design, we can bring real-time tactical data into existing theater ground stations. Bringing space imagery in-theater from direct tasking is a feat never done before even by large satellites. The in-theater satellite imagery concept will be tested out with a small satellite demonstration, implementing a CDL waveform, using a modified airborne qualified CDL communications system in late 2005. The space qualified CDL design leveraged off a L-3 airborne design to the greatest extent possible, but several aspects of L-3’s design had to be altered for space applications and operations. Part selection alone was a significant driver in our design approach. Migrating a state-of-the-art, high data rate, communications, airborne design to space is no simple task since the list of approved parts is drastically limited. L-3 also leveraged the CTX-886 Space Transmitter for all non-baseband design portions. The success of L-3’s design created a significant savings in power, weight and volume over our existing airborne designs; a 58% power reduction, a 45% weight reduction, and a 73% volume reduction. Other design enhancements to the hardware include: • Operation in absence of software control • Independent power for uplink and downlink • Control by either the On Board Processor or Ground Station • Radiation tolerant components The performance, hardware and characteristics will also be discussed within the paper.
