Application of GPS to Two-Centimeter Test Missile Intercept Measurements

T. Thompson, J. M. Dougherty, T. M. Hattox

Abstract:	sharply increased level of delivery accuracy will require dramatic improvements in flight test instrumentation. Precision capabilities of evolving missile guidance systems combined with advanced seeker designs will outpace the ability of currently available range instrumentation to confidently evaluate flight test performance. Accurate scoring (miss or impact measurement) of hit-to-kill and close-in fragmentation weapon intercept tests will be required to adequately assess lethality in the system tests. To address this need, a GPS instrumentation concept capable of achieving two- centimeter missile intercept measurement accuracy was demonstrated in August 1996. Instrumentation and processing capabilities, derived from the Applied Physics Laboratory’s extensive experience with precision GPS instrumentation for the Navy’s Trident weapon system, were used to accomplish the demonstration. The test configuration and successful test results were first reported at the AIAA Missile Sciences Conference in December 1996. ’ The test demonstrated GPS signal tracking sufficient to resolve cycle ambiguities in extreme dynamics (i.e., as high as 70g and 1500g/sec). This paper will review those test results and provide a more detailed presentation of the unique challenges associated with GPS signal tracking and analysis in very high dynamic environments and will discuss the methodology used to achieve success. The Holloman test validated that two- centimeter GPS accuracy for missile intercept testing is achievable and practical.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 53rd Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1997) June 30 - 2, 1997 Albuquerque, NM
Pages:	119 - 130
Cite this article:	Thompson, T., Dougherty, J. M., Hattox, T. M., "Application of GPS to Two-Centimeter Test Missile Intercept Measurements," Proceedings of the 53rd Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1997), Albuquerque, NM, June 1997, pp. 119-130.
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