Modelling of Pico Satellite Network Applications to Maritime Interdiction Operations

Abstract

The successful command and control of Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) depends heavily upon an organization?s communications and network platforms. These platforms must provide effective, efficient, affordable communications between operational and tactical commanders in an operating area, among globally distributed expert technical advisors, and especially, between these two groups. Since 2009, the researchers at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) together with their overseas partners have been exploring the benefits of using very small Picosatellite based, private orbital tactical networking nodes to support expert reachback and coordination in Maritime Interdiction Operations scenarios. The NPS team is currently assembling the first set of three Picosatellites to be launched in late 2011 in conjunction with the first series of field trials of MIO reachback employing orbital tactical nodes. In order to plan and design integration experiments using Picosatellite nodes, we developed software models for future miniature orbital tactical nodes. These are being assembled using the simulation modeling environment in Satellite Tool Kit (STK). This paper describes the results of simulations of Picosatellite networking nodes and analysis of their implementation in MIO test scenarios.