STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.1 Hansen STARLight Peter Hansen PROJECT OVERVIEW

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.2 Hansen STARLight System Requirements L-band NEDT: < 0.1 K desired, < 0.5 K required Absolute calibration: < 2 K desired, < 3 K required Linear dynamic range: 5 K < Tb < 300 K Ambient operating temperature range: -30 o C < To < +40 o C Unpowered survival temperature range: -50 o C < To < +60 o C Across-track scan width: ±35 o Synthesized half-power beamwidth: < 15 o desired, < 22 o required Onboard uninterrupted data storage for 3 hours In-flight “Data OK” indication for pilot TIR profiles – by synthesized beam desired, nadir required Instrument provides flightline guidance, location, and attitude Field maintainable, 2 month MTBF

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.3 Hansen STARLight System Implementation System Designed to Interface with Aviat Husky Model A-1B aircraft L-band Synthetic Thinned Array Radiometer (STAR) Direct Sampling Digital Radiometer (DSDR) technology Two major hardware modules – Sensor Module Antennas, Receivers, Calibration Sources, Thermal Control, Timing & Data Sample Control – Control Module Control Computer, Filter/Correlator,System I/O,Data Storage, Heat Exchanger, Power System In-flight calibration sources - two widely spaced temperatures Simple pilot/operator interface – On/Off power switch and power monitor – System ready, Data OK lights On board raw data storage – Data analysis performed off-line GSE – PC Laptop for offline data analysis, calibration – Shipping Containers – Handling Fixtures – Truck Boom Adapter

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.4 Hansen STARLight System Block Diagram

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.5 Hansen STARLight Hardware Tree

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.6 Hansen STARLight Technical Challenges Tight Receiver Thermal Control Requirement – Temperature stability ~11 milli-degrees K during 1.5 sec integration period – Wide environmental operating temperature = -30 to +40 deg C – Rapid environmental temperature change from takeoff to cruise altitude Tight Electrical Power Budget – Total available 12 Volt power = 400 Watts max, 300 Watts average Receiver=100W, Thermal Control=100W, Control Module=200W EMI/RFI – Small Aircraft Power System & Avionics – ECL electronics at VHF clock rates Calibration – Absolute temperature accuracy <2 deg K

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.7 Hansen STARLight Project Plan Development Phase - 2 Channel Prototype – Includes both Calibration sources - Diode (warm) and Cold – 2 Complete Receivers LNA and Analog Filter evaluation Cal source switching evaluation A/D converter, system timing, digital signal processing evaluation – 10 Channel Thermal Control Prototype Two active receivers, 8 resistive thermal simulators PID controller evaluation – Prototype Control Computer Assembly Early software development tool High speed communications interface verification

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.8 Hansen STARLight Project Plan Implementation Phase - 10 Channel Flight System – Fab and Test flight components – Integrate components – System Module testing - (Sensor Module, Control Module) Use Prototype hardware for test support of flight modules Continue software development – System Integration, Test and Calibration – GSE Fabrication Mechanical fixtures and truck boom adapter Field EGSE - power cart, pre-flight data analysis software Flight Test Phase – Aircraft Integration – Flight Calibration – Field Evaluation

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.9 Hansen STARLight Schedule

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.10 Hansen STARLight Prototype Development Plan Stage 1 - Two parallel activities – Thermal Control System Cold Plate, 10 Control Plates, Heat Exchanger, Plumbing “Slow” versions of Receiver DA Board, Sensor Control Board “Slow” version of PC104 Controller Prototype Harness and Wiring Thermal Control Software Development – Receiver RF System - 2 RF channels & Calibration Equipment RF amplifiers, filters, and switch Diode Noise Source & Dividers, Cold Cal Source RF Characterization testing Continued module thermal characterization

STARLight PDR 3 Oct ‘01C.11 Hansen STARLight Prototype Development Plan - contd. Stage 2 – Thermally controlled receiver “Fast” version of Receiver DA Board, Sensor Control Board “Fast” version of PC104 Controller Integrated Receiver Tests Signal Processing Software Development – Environmental temperature test – End to End Receiver Evaluation – Flight Hardware Design updates