Launch vehicle mission capability enhancement through Global Positioning System Metric Tracking

Abstract

United Launch Alliance (ULA) and their United States Air Force (USAF) Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) customer initiated operational flights of both the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicle families in 2002. Both Launch Vehicle families have provided 100% mission success since their respective inaugural launch and have demonstrated launch capability from both Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) on the Western Range and Cape Canaveral Air Force station (CCAFS) on the Eastern Test Range. However, the current EELV fleet communications, tracking, & control architecture & technology, which date back to the origins of the space launch business, require support by a large and high cost ground footprint. The United States Air Force has embarked on an initiative known as Launch Enterprise Transformation (LET) that will significantly reduce Test Range Operations and Maintenance (O&M) cost by closing facilities and decommissioning ground assets. An important phase of the LET initiative is implementation of Global Positioning System Metric Tracking (GPS MT) on launch vehicles that use these ranges.