FY  1983  RDT&E  DESCRIPTIVE  SUMMARY 
Program  Element:   M5158F 
DoD  Mission  Area:   Strategic  Communications ,  #333 
Title:   Satellite  Data  System 
Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs,  i3 
(U)  RESOURCES  (PROJECT  LISTING) ($  In  thousands): 
Project 
Number   Title 
FY  1981   FY  1982    FY  1983   FY  1984   Additional 
Actual   Estimate   Estimate   Estimate   to  Completion 
Total 
Estimated 
Costs 
N/A 
TOTAL  FOR  PROGRAM  ELEMENT 
43,104   28,393 
7,886 
2,614 
a 
A))    BRIEF  DESCRIPTION  OF  ELEMENT  AND  MISSION  NEED:   The  Satellite  Data  SysteraJLs  a  ouiti-payload,  communications 
satellite  which  provides  reliable  communications.  The  Satellite  Data  System  provides 
portion  of  the  coverage  required  by  the  Air  Force" Satellite  Communications  System  for  essential  command  and  control 
communications  to  our  nuclear  capable  forces.   It  also  provides  a  high  speed  link  between  Air  Force  Satellite  Control 
Facility  remote  tracking  stations  for  command  and  control^ 
(U)  BASIS  FOR  FY  1983  RDT&E  REQUEST:   This  request  Includes  funds  for  completing  the  multi-year  design  and  develop- 
ment efforts  to  improve  the  anti-jam  capabilities  of  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  System  payload.   Also 
included  is  the  multi-year  development  necessary  to  produce  a  Space  Shuttle  optimized  satellite.   Sustaining  engineering 
support  and  the  System  Program  Office,  required  on  a  continuing  basis,  are  also  included.   These  estimates  are  based 
on  contractor  proposals  and  past  experience  for  the  sustaining  engineering  support. 
(U)  COMPARISON  WITH  FY  1982  DESCRIPTIVE  SUMMARY: 
v    
 — —   —  Total 
•  FY  1982    FY  1983    FY  1984    Additional       Estimated 
FY  1981   Estimate   Estimate   Estimate  to  Completion   Costs 
RDT&E 
Procurement  (MISSILE) 
i\))   OTHER  APPROPRIATION  FUNDS: 
.Procurement  (MISSILE) 
(Quantity) 
Operation  and  Maintenance 
43,200   29,100    15,600 
95,500   43,200    161,900 
Continuing 
Continuing 
Not  Applicable 
Not  Applicable 
10,200 
95,300   41,770    22,518 
(i) 
9,941   11,106    11,758    12,376 
X 
Continuing    Not  Applicable 
583
.        #<t«;.s«ir                                          Title:    Satellite  Data  System 
Prngrnoi  Element:  *22±2?L                                                      ._-                   Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs,  #3 
DoD  Mission  Area:   Strategic  Communications,  F333  &  '     fi  
rtM  I- 
/ 
(v>  DETAILED  BACKOnOUNU  AND  SSSg^glg;  £  |£»£  ^"command"  S^le'Integrated  Operational  Plan  and  olher 
time  command   control,  *«J  '—^J  ^'"J*  "'the  Ai   For^  Satellite  Communications  System  which  also  Include, 
nuclear  capable  forces.   It  Is  an  integral  part  01  the  Air  ro  j    Satellite  Communications  satellites, 
the  Ultra  llleh  Frequency  communications  capability  on  the  geosynchronous  Meet  aai.eiiLi  o-r„inr- 
tne  Ultra  nign  r.cHu   /  .-►-iHr^B   and  alrborne/jtround  radio  terminals.   As  such,  the  Satellite 
lY£l"Z":*l   Si""".  »•»  »r«~  WP~c.  t*.  »U  For«  S....IU.  Control  f.olllt,  r.,..™-«  for  „!,.»!.. 
cwo-way  high  data  rate  communications  with  its  remote  tracking  stations.  j£ 
\     The  direct  benefits  of  the  Satellite  Oata  System  are  reliable  and  secure  direct  communications        ^S 
"which  will  result  in  greatly  Improved  command  and  control  of  our  nuclear  capable  forces, 
JU.ln.clon  of  Che  dependence  on  some  of  Che  vulnerable  Air  Force  Sacelilte  Control  Facility  communications.  j 
l\l\   RELATED  ACTIVITIES:   The  space  segment  of  the  Fleet  Satellite  Communications  System  was  developed,  procured   and 
fUgh"  "rthe'satilnteUata  System  satellites  are  provided  by  the  Space  Launch  Support  Program.  Program  Element, 
35171F.   MILSTAR,  a  new  highly  Jam-resiatant  satellite  yfi 
""  is  being  developed  under  Program  Element,  33603F. 
(U)  WORK  PERFORMED  BY:   Air  Force  Systems  Command's  Space  Division,  Loa  Angeles,  CA,  is  «.pon,ible  for  the 
Satellite  Data  System.  The  prime  contractor  Is  Hughes  Aircraft  Company,  El  Segundo,  CA.  Oeneral  Systems  Engineering 
and  Integration  is  performed  by  the  Aerospace  Corporation,  El  Segundo,  CA.  . 
584
A 
Program  Element:   f 35i5RK 
DoD  Mission  Area:   Strategic  Communlcat ions,  #333 
i\})    PROGRAM  ACCOMPLI  STENTS  ANU  FUTUKE  PROGRAMS: 
Title:   Satellite  Data  System 
Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs,  #3 
A))  I.      FY  1981  and  Prior  Accomplishments:   The  technology. phase  of  the  program  was  completed  in  FY  1971.   This  was 
followed  by  a  contract  definition  phase"  in  FY  1972  which  established  the  system  configuration.   The  system  acqui- 
sition contractor  was  selected  by  competitive  source  selection  and  a  system  development  contract  was  awarded  in 
June  1972.   The  system  Critical  Design  Review  was  successfully  completed  in  March  1974  with  ail  critical  specifications 
being  met  or  exceeded.   The  structural  model  satellite  testing  was  finished  in  May  1975.   A  qualification  model 
satellite  was  built  and  tested  to  fully  qualify  the  satellite  prior  to  production. 
1  All  payloads  were  fully  checked  out  on-orbit.   Full  operational 
capability  was  declared  for  all  payloads  Rafter  successful  on-orblt  checkout. 
Primary  activities  in  FY  1981  Included  the  continuation  of  design  and 
development  activities  associated  with  Improving  the  anti-Jam  capabilities  of  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications 
System  pay  load  on  the  seventh  satellite  (F-6),  the  continuation  of  the  multi-year  development  of  a  Space  Shuttle 
optimized  design  on  the  seventh  satellite,  reliability  improvement  efforts,  and  sustaining  engineering  support.   The 
production  of  the  fifth  (F-5)  and  sixth  (F-5A)  satellites,  to  be  launched  on  Tltan/Agena,  also  continued  in  FY  81. 
(01  2.   FY  1982  Program:   Efforts  for  this  year  include  sustaining  engineering  support,  continuing  design  and  devel- 
opment activities  to  improve  the  uutl-Jam  capabilities  of  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Cotmnunlcutions  System  pay  load  on 
the  seventh  Satellite  Data  System  satellite,  and  continuing  the  multi-year  development  necessary  to  transition  thut 
satellite  to  the  Space  Shuttle.   Also  Included  are  continuing  efforts  to  Improve  satellite  paylond  reliabilities. 
the  production  of  the  sixth  satellite  continued. 
(V)  3.   FY  1983  Planned  Program:   Planned  efforts  include  the  completion  of  the  development  efforts  related  to 
the  Space  Shuttle  optimization  and  the  completion  of  the  development  of  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications 
anti-jam  Improvements.   Sustaining  engineering  support  and  the  System  Program  Office  will  also  be  continued.   The 
decrease  In  the  current  year  R£D  estimate  from  that  of  the  previous  year  Is  the  deletion  of  continued  payload  technology 
development.   The  decrease  In  procurement  funds  from  last  year's  estimate  7" 
£ 
& 
? 
J 
(U)  4.   FY  1984  Planned  Program:   The  FY  1984  plan  Is  to  continue  sustaining  engineering  support,  the  System  Program 
Office,  launch  support  capability  and  on-orblt  support  of  the  SVS   satellites. 
585
Program  Element:   f 35158F 
DoD  Mission  Area:   Strategic  Communications,  #333 
Title:   Satellite  Data  System 
Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs,  #3 
(V) 
5   Program  to  Completion:   SDS  will  continue  to  support  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  System  by  providing 
critics!   
"communications  coverage*  The  program  will  fund  the  launch  support 
for  three  additional  satellites,  sustain  engineering  support  and  System  Program  OfficeJI  land 
provide  on-orblt  support 
(yj  6*   Milestones: 
Program  Start 
System  Prelimlnsry  Design  Review 
System  Critical  Design  Review 
Launch  First  Satellite  (F-l) 
Launch  Second  Satellite  (F-2) 
Full  Operational  Capabilitv 
AFSATCOH  System  IOC 
Critical  Design  Review  for  Shuttle 
Optimised  (Seventh)  Satellite 
Date 
October  1971 
March  1973 
March  1974 
May  1979 
June  1981 
X 
£ 
/ 
*   Date  presented  in  Fiscal  Year  1982  Descriptive  Summaries 
* 
(V)   KXPLANAT10N  OF  HTLKSTUNF,  CHANCKS; 
y 
586
<      '  _ 
4' 
> 
Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs,  #3     
Program  Element:   r35158F,  Satellite  Data  System 
1.   {^V)  Development  Test  and  Kvaluation:   The  development  contractor  for  the  Satellite^  Data  System  was  y 
Hughes  ATrc  ra  ftf  Company ,  El  Segundo,  California.   The  first  satellite  was  launched  s~y 
\  ""*  Initial  Operational  Capability  was  established  ln{~  The  first  satellite  (F-l)  J*0, 
was  funded  entirely  within  the  development  program.   The  second  satellite  (F-2)  was  the  first  vehicle  funded 
under  the  production  program.   The  development  hardware  included  engineering  models  of  the  communication 
subsystems,  a  structural  model  spacecraft  (X-l)  and  a  qualification  model  spacecraft  (Y-l).   Development 
tests  of  the  communications  subsystems  engineering  models  were  completed  in  November  1973.   Structural 
testing  was  satisfactorily  completed  on   the  X-l  engineering  model  spacecraft  in  May  1975.   Systems  level 
qualification  was  completed  in  October  1975  with  all  critical  performance  specifications  met  or  exceeded. 
System  level  qualification  was  designed  to  demonstrate  design  integrity  and  performance  to  specification 
via  a  series  of  tests  including  shock,  acoustic,  modal  survey,  thermal,  electromagnetic  interference, 
solar-thermal  vacuum,  and  integrated  system  test.   The  F-l  spacecraft  was  acceptance  tested  during  the 
{  The  Y-l  spacecraft  was  a  fully  configured  spacecraft  which  C£ 
has  been  refurbished  and  designated  as  flight  vehicle  (F-4). 
2.  (U)  Operational  Test  and  Evaluation:   A  portion  of  the  Satellite  Data  System  is  to  be  part  of  the  Air  Force 
Satellite  Communications  space  segment.   Classical  separate  Initial  Operational  Test  and  Evaluation  was  not 
conducted  on  the  space  segments  since  all  operational  objectives  and  requirements  were  fully  integrated  into 
the  Development  Test  and  Evaluation  effort  and  were  not  broken  out  separately.   Compatibility,  operational 
characteristics,  and  orbit  performance  of  payloads  supporting  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  program 
are  scheduled  to  be  demonstrated  during  the  follow-on  test  and  evaluation  which  is  managed  by  the  Air  Force  Test 
and  Evaluation  Center.   Results  to  date  are  contained  in  Development  Test  and  Evaluation  reports  (see  paragraph  1 
above) . 
3.  (0)  Systems  Characteristics: 
Characteristics  Objectives  Demonstrated 
Data  Rate  in  words 
per  minute 
Message  Bit  Error  Rate 
per  ten  thousand  bits 
Anti-Jam  Protection  (decibel  watt) 
x 
587