Standardization in performance assessment of telemetry tracking systems

Abstract

In the world of missile testing, telemetry plays a vital role in the evaluation of these weapon systems. Telemetry is defined as the process of taking measurements from a distance, or remote location. As measurements are made within the missile, the data is packetized and transmitted down to ground stations in real time. Once the data is accumulated, analysts review the data and evaluate the results of the missile test. Launching a missile is a major test event that requires significant coordination and a considerable amount of funding. Collecting as much data as possible is crucial and always a fundamental requirement. Therefore, the telemetry tracking ground stations receiving the data play just as an important role as the missile itself. The ground stations must be reliable systems, where periodic maintenance and technical refreshing are key elements in the risk management of the receiving system. This paper explores the effectiveness of predicting system failures by carefully analyzing antenna data metrics already made available to system users. By establishing a standard for evaluating these tracking systems, variances in the performance metrics over time may predict future system failures. By addressing potential issues preemptively, last-minute critical failures can be significantly reduced while making the systems availability and reliability much higher.