Antenna Control Computer for TT&C Phased Array Antenna

The Phase II objective is to utilize the Phase I research and preliminary architecture trade study results to finalize the candidate rankings, select a candidate architecture, and then develop and prototype a low-cost Antenna Control Computer (ACC) withassociated software. The ACC will provide a proof-of-concept for control of an Objective phased array antenna design that would modernize TT&C antenna capabilities in the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). One ACC with a reliable solid-stateelectronically steered array (ESA) antenna can upgrade several aging Antenna Control Units (ACU) that now control problematic, mechanically steered parabolic dish antennas. The ACC will help AFSCN evolve from its current configuration and capability to aninteroperable, open network architecture providing integrated, assured, cost effective antenna control for the objective phased array antenna for TT&C. CME's technical approach will be to design and prototype an open system workstation-based, low-costphased array antenna ACC that efficiently manages a distributed processing module network with each node linked to each facet panel of a geodesic dome phased array antenna. Our prototype will be backwards compatible with existing data processing and othermission applications which are resident with the legacy Control and Status (C&S) computer. This will minimize risk and system downtime to the AFSCN.