FY  1979  RDT&E  DESCRIPTIVE  SUMMARY 
Program  Element:   f 35153F 
Dof)  Mission  Area:   Strategic  Command,  Control   and  Communications   #331 
Title:  Satellite  Data  System  (SDS) 
Budget  Activity:  Strategic  Programs  f?3 
RESOURCES  (PROJECT  LISTING):  ($    In  thousands) 
Project 
Number 
Title 
TOTAL  FOR  PROGRAM  ELEMENT 
FY  1977 
Actual 
8,110 
FY  1978 
Estimate 
12,800 
FY  1979 
Estimate 
29,000 
FY  1980    Additional 
Estimate  To  Completion 
38,600    Continuing 
Total 
Estimated  Costs 
Not  Applicable 
DESCRIPTION  OF  ELEMENT  AND  MISSION  NEED:   The  Satellite  Data  Syptera  (SDS)  is  a  multipurpose.^communications 
satellite  which  will  provide  reliable  and  secure  ccramunicat ion«^  Operating  In 
conjunction  with  the  synchronous  equatorial  Fleet  Satellite  CottWun  teat  ions  (FLTSATCOM)  satellites,  the  SDS  completes 
the  coverage  required  by  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  (AFSATC0M)  system  for  essential  command  and   control 
communications  for  strategic  forces. 
BASIS  FOR  FY  1979  RDT&E  REQUEST:   This  request  includes  funds  for  continuing  the  multi-year  design  and  development 
efforts  to  Lmprove  the  anti-jam  capabilities  of  the  AFSATCOM  pay load.   Also  included  are  the  multi-year  development 
necessary  to  transition  follow-on  satellites  to  the  Space  Shuttle.   Sustaining  engineering  support  will  be  required 
on  a  continuing  basis. 
/ 
OTHER  APPROPRIATION  FUNDS 
Missile  Procurement 
Quantities 
Satellites 
Launch  Vehicles 
<>< 
61,540 
83,200 
38,800 
119,000    Continuing 
Not  Applicable 
1  (Titan) 
(Agena) 
359
Prograra  Element:   J35158F  Title:   Satellite  Data  System  '<?ns> 
DoD  Mission  Area:  Strategic  Command,  Control  and  Communications  #331   Budget  Activity:  Stratcgt.  fro^'rams  (fl 
DETAILED  BACKGROUND  AND  DESCRIPTION:   The  Satellite  Data  System  (SDS)  will  provide  critical,  ^ 
real-time  command,  control.and  communications  for  Strategic  Air  Command  Single  Integrated  Operational  Plan  (SIOT) 
forces.   The  SDS  la  an  integral  part  of  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  (AFSATCOM)  system  which  includes  the 
Air  Force  Ultr3  High  Frequency  (UKF)  communications  capability  on  the  synchronous  equatorial  Fleet  Satellite 
Communications  (FLTSATCOM)  satellites,  piggy-back  transponders  on  selected  host  satellites, and  airborne/ground  radio 
terminals.   As  such,  the  SDS  will  complement  the  FLTS_AJCOM  satellite  coverage  by  providing  UKF  coverage  which  the         / 
FLTSATCOM  satellites  cannot  provide.  <f 
J    Additionally,  SDS  will  support  the  Air  Force 
Satellite  Control  Facility  (AFSCF}  requirement  for  reliable,  two-way  nigh  data  rate,  S-band  communications  between 
AFSCF  remote  tracking  stations. J  ^/ 
The  direct  benefits  •  y 
of  SDS  will  be  reliable  and  secure  direct  communications  fwhich  wTil  result  In  greatly  3 
improved  command  and  control  of  SIOP  forces,  elimination'of  the^dependence  on  some  of  the  vulnerable  AFSCF  V* 
communications J  i  & 
RELATED  ACTIVITIES:  The  space  segment  of  the  FLTSATCOM  will  be  developed,  procured,"  and  launched  under  the  Navy's 
-FLTSATCOM  Progranr  Element,  33109N;   The  Air  Force  aircraft  and  ground  UHF  radio  terminals  required  for  operation 
-with  the  FLTSATCOM  and  SDS  satellites  are  funded  within  the  AFSATCOM  Program  Element,  33601F.   The  A£SCS  stations 
are  funded  under  the  AFSCF  Program  Element,  33110F.  ~J  Space  Shuttle 
and  Inertial  Upper  Stage  flights  for  all  operational  /tir  Force  satellites,  including  those  for  SDS,  are  provided  by 
the  Space  Launch  Support  Program,  PE  35171F.  —._.-.... 
WORK  PERFORMED  BY:  Air  Force  Systems  Command's  Space  and  Missile  Systems  Organization,  Los  Angeles,  California  is  . . 
responsible  for  the  SDS.  The  prime  contractor  is  Hughes  Aircraft  Company,  El  Segundo,  California.  General  Systems 
Engineering  and  Integration  is  performed  by  the  Aerospace  Corporation,  El  Segundo,  California. 
PROCRAM  ACCOMPLISHMENTS  AND  FUTURE  PROGRAMS: 
1.   FY  1977  and  Prior  Accomplishments:  The  technology  phase  of  the  prograra  was  completed  in  FY  1971.   This  was 
followed  by  a  contract  definition  phase  in  FY  1972  which  established  the  system  configuration.  The  system  acquisi- 
tion contractor  was  selected  by  competitive  source  selection  and  a  system  development  contract  was  awarded  in  June 
1972.   The  system  Critical  Design  Review  (CDR)  was  successfully  completed  In  March  1974  with  all  critical  speci- 
fications being  met  or  exceeded.  The  structural  (X-l)  and  qualification  (Y-l)  model  spacecraft  and  the  initial 
flight  vehicle  (F-l)  were  procured  incrementally  with  Research,  Development,  Test  and  Evaluation  (RDT&E)  funds.  A 
production  option  to  the  development  contract  was  excercised  in  FY  1974.  This  option  provided  for  the  fabrication, 
assembly,  and  test  of  the  first  production  model  spacecraft  (F-2)  and  a  backup  flight  vehicle  (F-3).  The  development 
and  production  schedules  were  phased  to  achieve  the  required  delivery,  launch, and  system  operational  dates.  Communi- 
cations subsystem  engineering  models  were  completed  and  tested  in  November  1973.  The  structural  model  satellite 
3R0 
::  t 
il 
!l
Program  Element:   J35158F  Title:   Satellite  Data  System  (SDS) 
DoO  Mission  Area:  Strategic  Command,  Control  and  Cotgnunlcations  If 331  Budget  Activity:  Strategic  Programs  ff } 
testing  was  finished  in   Hay  1975.   A  qualification  model  satellite  was  builfi^and  tested  Lo  fully  qua!  lfy_  the  satellite 
.prior^ to  production.  _         __     % 
All  payloads  were  fully  checke^out  on-orbit  _  Full  operational  capa-     '  / 
"Vilify  was  declared  for  all  payloads  after  successful  on-orbit  checkout.   Primary  activities  in  FY  1977   / 
Included  sustaining  engineering  support,  design  and^tSevelopment  efforts  to  transition  follow-on  satellites  to  the  Space 
Shuttle,  and  reliability  improvement  activities.   Refurbishment  of  the  Qualification  Model  Satellite  (Y-l)  was  begun. 
When  fully  refurbished,  Y-l  will  become  the  fourth  operational  satellite  (F-4). 
.   FY  1978  Program:  Efforts  for  this  year  include  sustaining  engineering  support,  initiating  design  and  development 
„ctivities  to  improve  the  anti-jam  capabilities  of  the  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  System  (AFSATCOM)  payload 
on  the  sixth  SDS  satellite  (F-6) ,  and  continuing  the  multi-year  development  necessary  to  transition  to  the  Space 
Shuttle.   Also  Included  are  continuing  efforts  to  improve  satellite  payload  reliabilities. 
ac 
/ 
3.  FY  1979  Planned  Program:  The  increase  from  FY78  to  FY79  Is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Space  Shuttle  transition  and 
AFSATCOM  ant  1- jam  improvements  enter  full  scale  development  in  FY79.  Multi-year  development  efforts  will  continue  to 
permit  follow-on  satellites  (F-6  and  subsequent  satellites)  to  transition  from  the  current  expendable  launch  vehicles 
to  the  Space  Shuttle  and  Inert ial  Upper  Stage.  A  major  multi-year  development  program  will  continue  to  enhance  the 
anti-jam  characteristics  of  the  AFSATCOM  system  payload.  Sustaining  engineering  support  will  be  required  on  a  contin- 
uing basis.  The  current  estimate  for  the  FY79  planned  program  has  decreased  by  $4.7M  compared  to  the  estimate  made  a 
year  ago. 
4.  FY  1980  Planned  Program:  The  FY  1980  plan  is  to  continue  sustaining  engineering  support,  continue  development  of 
the  anti-jam  improvements  for  the  AFSATCOM  payload  and  continue  the  development  efforts  related  to  Space  Shuttle 
transition. 
5.  Program  to  Completions  This  Is  a  continuing  program.  As  an  Integral  part  of  the  AFSATCOM,  the  program  will  con-   "  / 
tinue  to  provide  critical                 "Icomraunlcat ion&  coverage  and  be  totally  compatible  with  the  AFSATCOM       f> 
aircraft  and  ground  radio Terminals.   Sustaining  engineering  support  will  be  required  to  maintain  design  compatibility  ' 
and  to  Incorporate  improvements  for  survivability  and  reliability. 
361
Program  Element:   #35158F 
DoD  Mission  Area:   Strategic  Command,  Control  and  Communications  $331 
6.   Milestones: 
A.  System  Preliminary  Design  Review 
B.  System  Critical  Design  Review 
C.  Final  Integrated  Systems  Test 
D.  Launch  First  Satellite  (F-l) 
E.  Launch  Second  Satellite  (F-2) 
F.  Full  Operational  Capability 
Date 
Mar  73 
Mar  74 
Title:   Satellite  Data  System  (SDS) 
Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs  S3 
/ 
/ 
'■:'.  \ 
.rrs. 
i|::!:t   /* 
362
nnc««nt  Artlvltv:   Strategic  Programs  If 3 
Proernm  Element:   35158F   
Teat  and  Evaluation  Data 
1.   Development  Tegt  and  Evaluation:  The  development  contractor  for  the  Satellite  Data  Sjfstrm  (SDS)  Is  Huehes     —       g/ 
Aircraft  Company,  El  Segundo,  California.   The  first  satellite  was  launched^  ^      /**. 
Operational  Capability  for  all  payloads  was  established*-"  The  first  satellite  (F-l)  was  funded  $u 
entirely  within  the  development  program.   The  second  satellite  (F-2)  waV  the  first  vehicle  funded  under  the  production 
program.   The  development  hardware  included  engineering  raodeLs  of  the  communications  subsystems,  a  structural  model 
spacecraft  (X-l)  and  a  full-up  qualification  model  spacecraft  (Y-l) .   Development  tests  of  the  communications  sub- 
systems 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  (EMI),  solar-thermal  vacuum,  and  integrated  system  test.   Reliability  (life)  tests  of 
critical  cojjponenLs  will  continue  throughout  the  development  program.   The  F-l  spacecraft  was  acceptance  tested  -/* 
during  the  /The  Y-l  spacecraft  is  a  full  configured  spacecraft  which  is  being  ^" 
refurblshedLand  will  be  used  as  an  operational  flight  vehicle  (F-4). 
2.  Operational  Test  and  Evaluation;   Test  and  evaluation  is  limited  to  Development  Test  and  Evaluation  (DT&E) 
except  for  payloads  supporting  other  systems,  such  as  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  System  (AFSATCOM) ,  which 
are  tested  in  conjunction  with  the  appropriate  supported  system.   The  AFSATCOM  Final  Operational  Test  and  Evaluation 
(FOT&E)  Is  scheduled  for  FY  1979. 
3.  System  Characteristics; 
a.   U1IF  mission  characteristics 
240  -  400  MHz 
12-5  KHz  channels,  £5  BPS »  two-way  teletype    . 
Anti-jam  capability  - 
b.  AFSCF  Mission  Characteristics 
1.76  -  2.3  GHz  (S-Band) 
Data  Pass  -  256  KBs,  32  KBs 
363
Budget  Activity:   Strategic  Programs  93 
Program  Element:   35158F   
d.   Orbital  life  Mean  Mission  Duration  (MMD) 
Mission  characteristics  were  validated  during  development  Test  and  Evaluation  (DT&E) .   Operational  characteristics 
and  orbit  performance  of  payloads  supporting  other  systems  will  be  demonstrated  during  the  Operational  Test  and 
Evaluation  (0T6E)  of  the  supported  system,  e.g..  Air  Force  Satellite  Communications  System  (AFSATCOM) . 
/ 
m 
364