Geolocation for Improved Fuzing and Navigation

To address the Navy’s need for a navigation system that can aid the inertial navigation system of vehicles during reentry or other scenarios where Global Positioning System (GPS) data is unavailable, Intellisense Systems, Inc. proposes to develop a new Geolocation for Improved Fuzing and Navigation (GEOFAN) system. GEOFAN uses an all-optical terrain measurement approach to acquire external position data and enable operation during the entire reentry period without being affected by atmospheric ionization and can acquire data in real-time even when traveling at speeds of at least Mach 4. GEOFAN’s data processing algorithms calculate the three-dimensional (3D) position of the reentry vehicles in real time while requiring minimal processing power, making them compatible with radiation-hardened electronics suitable for exo-atmospheric space environments. The algorithms are robust to noise and occlusions from clouds, allowing for accurate positioning at any altitude from sea level to over 400,000 ft. GEOFAN uses no moving parts and includes redundant subsystems to ensure operability even after a 25-year dormancy and also requires minimal power, thereby providing compatibility with onboard power supplies. In Phase I, Intellisense will demonstrate GEOFAN’s feasibility to provide the position data desired by the Navy by designing and fabricating a proof-of-concept demonstrator system. In the Phase I Option, Intellisense will refine the prototype system and perform a dormant failure rate analysis to determine the system’s expected dormancy lifetime. Intellisense will also develop the initial design specifications and associated capabilities description to build a full-scale prototype solution in Phase II. In Phase II, Intellisense will mature the Phase I system into the engineering development phase and build a full-scale prototype. By the conclusion of Phase II, Intellisense expects to display the GEOFAN system performance capability in addressing all of the Navy’s needs.