AN ASSESSMENT OF THE BEST ESTIMATE TRAJECTORY (BET) GENERATION METHODOLOGY UTILIZED AT THE KWAJALEIN MISSILE RANGE

THE PHASE I SBIR PROPOSAL INCLUDED HEREIN ADDRESSES THE TOPIC NUMBER A90-443, ENTITLED TRAJECTORY ESTIMATION OF PROGRAM SOLICITATION 90.2. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSED EFFORT IS TO PROVIDE A MORE REALISTIC ASSESSMENT OF THE AERODYNAMIC FORCES ACTING ON AN ATMOSPHERIC REENTRY VEHICLE FLOWN FROM THE U.S. WEST COAST TO THE KWAJALEIN MISSILE RANGE (KMR). THE EFFECTS OF THESE FORCES ARE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE POST-FLIGHT BEST ESTIMATE TRAJECTORY (BET) GENERATION PROCESS BY UTILIZING DATA AVAILABLE FROM ON-BOARD SENSORS AND EXTERNAL TRACKING SITES. A DETAILED WORK PLAN IS PRESENTED IN THIS PROPOSAL SUCH THAT RECOMMENDED MODIFICATIONS TO THE KMR BET METHODOLOGY CAN BE MADE TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICAL APPROACH FOR THE PROPOSED EFFORT CONSISTS OF AN EXTENSIVE SURVEY OF THE CURRENT KMR BET PROCESS, A COMPARISON OF THIS PROCESS TO OTHER BET METHODOLOGIES, PRELIMINARY DEFINTITIONS FOR MODIFICATIONS, AND, FINALLY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT TO THE KMR BET SCHEME. RESULTS FROM THIS PHASE I STUDY WILL PROVIDE CONCEPTS, AND DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THESE CONCEPTS, IN ORDER TO MEET THE KMR BET REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDE SUPPORTING DATA TO EVALUATE EXISTING KMR ATMOSPHERIC MODELS AND/OR SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF SAME; AND DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF AND CORRECT ANY ERRORS IN THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY FITTING PROCESS.