Unified Multisatellite-Multisensor-Multichannel SSA

Dynamic sensor management of disparate and physically dispersed mobile sensors presents a daunting theoretical and practical challenge, especially when they are embedded in communication networks. Tasking of sensors carried by space-based platforms is constrained by their own physical characteristics and those of their platforms; by communications constraints; by target information value; by the information value of the sensors themselves; and by the tradeoff between maintaining existing tracks and search.  The Scientific Systems Company, Inc. (SSCI) team proposes a foundational, control-theoretic approach to dynamic Space Situational Awareness (SSA) resource management of platform-borne netted sensors.  Our proposed research will build on  existing work by extending it to multiple sensors carried by multiple satellites that are interconnected via possibly complex ad hoc transmission networks. Our approach is based on five innovations:  (1) a multisensor-multitarget likelihood function that encapsulates all relevant information regarding the characteristics of the various sensors situated on various platforms and various nodes of a communication network; (2) a dynamic "tactical importance function" (TIF) that mathematically specifies the meaning of "tactical significance" for a given space theater at a given moment; (3)an intuitively meaningful sensor management objective function, the expected number of ToIs (Targets of Interest), that inherently optimizes multisource data fusion and the coordination/collaboration among the platforms; (4) integration of these concepts with approximate multitarget detection and tracking filters; and (5) theoretically rigorous incorporation of the constraints due to sensor kinematics, platform kinematics, and communication-systems topologies and characteristics.  The project team includes Dr. Ronald Mahler of Lockheed Martin.  Lockheed Martin will provide both technical and commercialization support in the application of sensor management technologies during all phases of the project.   BENEFIT: Dynamic Multisatellite-Multisensor-Multichannel resource management would support information supremacy in possible future militarized space environments. Commercial application of sensor management exists in any application involving netted, fixed or mobile sensor systems, for example border control, coastline control, and security surveillance.