Space System Digital Twins for GPS Resilience

Simulation software tools are essential to space system development and operations. Early in the lifecycle, space system simulation enables military utility assessment, wargaming and the exploration of a broad design trade space to deliver a mature, optimal conceptual design – one that is less likely to lead to cost and schedule overruns later in the project. During detailed design, simulation enables rapid iteration and reduced prototyping and testing. During integration and test (I&T), MS&A can drive software-in-the-loop (SITL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing of component hardware, operations software, and flight software for robust and efficient subsystem and system-level verification. Finally, during operations, simulations can be integrated with data from the on-orbit system to deliver a real-time twin of the physical system. In addition to enabling human-on-the-loop assessment of the physical system as part of system health monitoring (i.e., fault detection, isolation, and recovery), a simulation may be used to perform a variety of activities including course of action visualization, operator training, wargaming, and processing of raw payload data into actionable data products. Sedaro’s space system digital twin platform, Sedaro Satellite, delivers the computing power, collaboration, interoperability, and interactivity required to propel forward the efficiency of USSF and commercial space system development programs. In addition, Sedaro Satellite can enable the development of new space technologies, particularly in the areas of autonomy and the design and operation of complex hybrid constellations. As one of the most essential and complex programs within the USSF, GPS is an exceptional candidate for the integration of transformational digital engineering capabilities. Innovative simulation tools have a unique ability to make a massive impact on the efficiency and performance of this program because the GPS space segment is a continuously modernized hybrid constellation with extensive data that can be used to validate both the accuracy of new simulation capabilities and the relative performance of new DE-enabled engineering processes. With D2P2 SBIR support through this SpaceWERX Open Topic opportunity, Sedaro will develop and demonstrate the Sedaro Satellite PNT Module and build digital twins for GPS-IIIF. The new PNT Module will deliver end-to-end digital twin simulations of complex GNSS architectures by enabling turnkey integration of GNSS Simulators in-the-loop. The enhanced Sedaro Satellite platform will deliver high-fidelity data on the performance of user terminals in complex, dynamic operational scenarios to accelerate GPS test and evaluation and improve the resilience of current and future GPS technologies.