Space & Cyberspace

The AFSPC Space Analysis division desired a web portal that would allow the modeling and simulation communities the ability to record and share information about space models and simulations, provide access to an electronic library of studies and analysis associated with those models and simulations and to record and share authoritative information and data about space systems to include satellites, launch vehicles, missiles, space sites and space-related environmental information. The portal also includes a forum to assist collaboration within the national space community allowing users to exchange information about models/simulations and studies/analysis and to share practical experience gained from using those models/simulations. Other portal features include an events calendar, announcements/news page, file upload/download capabilities for the distribution of space specific software and/or data files, the ability to specify and mass email groups of users, and the means to perform portal/user administration on-line. Search capabilities were incorporated to find models/simulations based on their scope/application/mission area etc., metrics or overall usage or to find a study based on user input variables or metrics. For example a search on PNT will find information related to the model GIANT, GPS Interference and Navigation Tool and studies evaluating the GPS constellation. Because of the various users and levels of security required, the information presented and navigation available were designed to be subject to account/role access. DSoft Technology project responsibilities include full life-cycle software development, including system requirement analysis, design, development, documentation, and deployment of the Space Analysis Resource Portal. In addition, DSoft provides management and technical expertise to AFSPC Space Analysis on the evaluation of models and simulations using proven techniques and processes. After the original portal was released, the AFSPC Space Analysis recognized a deficiency in the way space was represented in various war games and other decision making activities. In ensure that space is represented accurately and also to promote efficiency by sharing information and data, DSoft added a database of authoritative space information categorized by year from 2007 through 2020 that supports operators, trainers, testers, and analysts.

The GPS Operational Performance Mapping Availability Program was built to support a new AFSPC initiative to develop a software tool that produces global or regional color maps displaying various space system performance metrics. The geographic maps generated by OPMAP include coast line data. The user can identify the location and geographic distribution of various features in the space system performance metrics based on the data. The tool generates maps for any year and month. The typical metric to be displayed is the rate at which a given service threshold is met. Initially, this tool is intended to handle the four (4) major space force enhancement missions: Satellite Communications, Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, and Environmental Monitoring. OPMAP has been integrated with the Launch Information Support Network (LISN) to download launch schedules. Accompanying the color maps is a time-line displaying the time series of a suitable rolled up statistic for the globe. This would typically be the average service availability for the whole earth. This time-line comes with a track bar for the user to choose any particular year or date of interest. The map displayed will correspond to the year or date chosen, and ability to animate the maps as changed over time. During this animation, the track-bar slides to the right indicating the year or date of the map-frame currently being displayed within the animation. OPMAP can be used in assessing the impact of losing or gaining specific satellites (or ground stations) on the relevant performance metrics for day-to-day command and control operations, as well as the impact of various Courses of Action. It can be used for the Integrated Planning Process and other planning activities. It can also support Capabilities Based Assessments as well as acquisition analyses such as Analysis of Alternatives and trade studies. Recently it has been used to examine a number of different GPS constellation configurations.

SATRAK (v7) is the replacement for SATRAK (v6), a legacy DOS application. The new version provides a modern and interactive user interface suited for current Windows operating systems. SATRAK (v7) was created using the Space Analysis INtegration Toolkit (SAINT), which demonstrated the complexity of tools that can be built and deployed with SAINT. The new version allows analysts to exercise various Astrodynamic Standards (SGP4 - Satellite General Perturbations 4, LAMOD - Look Angle Module, SimOrb - Orbit simulation, Decay - Satellite decay & lifetime using King-Hele, BLUE - Bob's Launch Update Ensemble, Sensor Coverage) and view the results on 2D & 3D maps, as plain text and/or as tabular data. The tabular data provides advanced sorting, filtering, and grouping capabilities as well as rules based conditional formatting. A graphing tool was also integrated into SATRAK to evaluate changes to a particular satellite's orbit or to perform statistical analysis on the satellite catalogue using Two Line Element (TLE) data. In addition to the integrated 3D view in SATRAK, a NASA WorldWind plug-in has also been developed to show satellite orbits.

The Cost Schedule Performance (CSP) Application was developed as a display tool to assist senior leaders in making space system portfolio decisions and support the Department of Defense (DoD) Program Objective Memorandum (POM) process. Specifically, the CSP Application was designed to view the overall Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Total Obligation Authority (TOA) while also visualizing how the TOA is broken out among military systems of interest while displaying performance and launch information. Data for the CSP Application is supplied from the AeroSpace Integrated Investment Software (ASIIS) graphical user interface (GUI), a separate Microsoft Excel-based workbook application which includes several worksheets of TOA model solution data. Rather than simply presenting the input ASIIS data, the CSP Application allows an analyst to edit the schedule of individual systems. Following a system adjustment, the overall TOA cost and performance values are recalculated and presented immediately, so the analyst can witness the effects of individual edits without waiting to re-run the entire data set. The CSP Application is a Windows forms-based application that provides a visual and intuitive GUI for adjusting system schedules and a flexible presentation layer with several charts for results.

DSoft Technology provides IT and software development support to the GPS Operations Center (GPSOC). This support consists of:

• Maintenance and modernization of GPS Information Systems (GPSIS) software suite
• Development of new custom software tools as needed to satisfy new and existing requirements of the GPSOC mission
• General system/network administration
• Integration of the GPSIS software with Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP).
• Web site development and maintenance for 3 web sites (unclassified, classified, and top secret)
• Architect, install and maintain a backup GPSOC at a secondary location.

OSCARS is a satellite constellation management and analysis tool. OSCARS models and evaluates satellite subcomponent life, launch schedules, constellation health, and satellite planes. Uses Monte Carlo approach to model satellite and subcomponent failure dates using reliability functions.

Provided business process and database analysis of existing Space Battle Manager database for the reengineering effort.

LISN is a space vehicle, spacecraft and launch scheduling database and associated user interfaces. It provides web-based interfaces for Space Wings to report daily launch schedule and status of US military, commercial and civil launches as well as 13-year launch forecasts for the Nation. The Quarterback Database, now a national asset, contains all planned and historical space launches, associated booster and combatant command satellite life expectancy data.

As a consultant to Northrop Grumman Information Technology, DSoft Technology performed a detailed functionality assessment of the Area Security Operations Command and Control (ASOCC) tool suite. Using a peer-to-peer network architecture, ASOCC provides homeland security event and alert management, situational awareness through a mapping and graphical information system, and collaborative communication capability. DSoft Technology also performed system operator duties for the JWID04 exercise.

DSoft Technology built the GPS Analysis Tool to help forecast median GPS Position Dilution of Precision as a function of the number of satellites on orbit based on a statistical analysis of median coverage. The GPS Analysis Tool interfaces with OSCARS 2000.

The assignment included developing long term launch date forecasts for GPS and SBIRS military satellite systems to include using computerized forecasting tools, published acquisition schedules and launch base capacities to determine required on-orbit replenishment schedules.

In support of AFSPC/XPY, DSoft Technology is providing software expertise and services for the AFSPC Astrodynamic Standard Software. AFSPC developed Astrodynamic Standard Software to emulate the operational astrodynamic algorithms used by the Space Control Center (SCC) in the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center. This was done to help ensure interoperability, reduce future software development and sustainment costs, and provide the ability to more easily upgrade the SCC algorithms. DSoft Technology is responsible for software support and configuration management of these standards.

DSoft Technology is providing modeling and simulation, investment strategy and software support planning for implementation of an AFSPC M&S toolkit. Our key staff and organizational experiences in planning and managing military and space M&S programs are providing an exemplary space M&S requirements baseline and complementary investment plan for AFSPC to manage the AFSPC M&S toolkit going forward.

DSoft Technology provided Blue, Red and Gray space orders of battle, futures scenario development and evaluation of space scenarios for development of next generation of the Lightning simulation.

DSoft Technology assisted AFSPC/XPXP by providing support to the AFSPC/XP to develop, critique and organize the 4-Star Capabilities Review and Risk Assessment (CRRA) action items in while working with Air Staff and SMC to incorporate space capabilities into the full spectrum of combat capability. The result was a much stronger focus on space capabilities than what had been originally proposed by Air Staff. Additionally, DSoft Technology assisted AFSPC/A8XT in re-writing the AFSPCI61-101 to reflect customer needs for an S&T instruction re-organized into a handbook style and USAF corporate changes in technology transition.