Army Sole Source $25.1M to Technovative Applications for Interferometric Radar Technologies

Typical Ground Mobile RF Interferometer Radar System

A--Interferometric Radar Technologies - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

• Solicitation Number: W15QKN-15-R-0114
• Notice Type: Presolicitation
• Synopsis: Added: Apr 27, 2015 8:27 am

The U.S. Army Contracting Command - New Jersey (ACC-NJ), on behalf of the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), intends to issue a sole source Request for Proposal (RFP) to

Technovative Applications 3160A Enterprise Street Brea, CA 92821

 pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements" as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(B) for the further research and development (R&D) related to interferometric radar technologies. The resultant contract shall be awarded as a single five (5) year, Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF), Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) with a total maximum ceiling value of $25,109,944.28.

The applicable NAICS for this effort is: 541330 quote mark Engineering Services quote mark . The contractor shall provide all R&D, software development, and engineering services necessary to further investigate, design, develop, enhance, integrate, prototype, and test the search, acquire, track-and-compute tactical fire control capabilities of interferometric radar technologies to meet current and future operational threat gaps and performance requirements.

The highest Distribution Level for this solicitation/contract is: Distribution Statement D

1. The "Extended Area Protection and Survivability (EAPS) Integrated Demonstration (ID) Science and Technology (S&T) Program Security Classification Guide (SCG)" dated 23 July 2010 is a Distribution Statement D document,
2. The "Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) Command and Control (C2) System RAM Warn Security Classification Guide (SCG)" dated 6 March 2013 is a Distribution Statement D document
3. The "Black Dart Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Demonstration Security Classification Guide (SCG)" dated 1 June 2013 is a Distribution Statement C document,

Background/Related

•  U.S. ARMY MISSILE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM OVERVIEW - Cornelius 2010
• New Launcher to Deploy C-RAM, C-UAV and Counter Cruise-Missile Defenses by 2019 | Defense Update: 
• Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) 
• SPIE | Proceeding | Interferometric acquisition and fire control radar for short-range missile defense with optimized radar distribution (SWORD) 
• UNCLASSIFIED Supporting Data for the FY 2002 Amended President’s Budget Submitted to Congress – July 2001 DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARIES OF THE - 0602303A.pdf
  Over the past 10 years the US Army Ballistic Missile Defense Organization has been investigating the use of  interferometry to develop a highly accurate radar system to use in defense of high value assets.  The current SWORD concept uses this technology to support the counter air munitions defense mission and provide protection from saturation or simultaneous attack from ballistic rockets or artillery.  The accuracy of the radar allow for removal of an interceptor seeker, therefore, reducing the cost of the overall system.  Potential technical issues for this system concept were identified by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology (DAS(R&T)), who sponsored a SWORD Independent Review Team (IRT) effort.  The SWORD Radar S&T Program addresses these issues by determining the magnitude of system and operational errors and developing mitigation techniques to reduce these errors to the operational requirement levels.  This SWORD S&T Program has been endorsed by Office of the Secretary of Defense.  If the SWORD Radar S&T effort is a success, the Army will evaluate the potential of a SWORD ATD.  The work in this program is consistent with the Army spectrum of operations in the Chief of Staff, Army vision: deployable, agile, versatile, and lethal.  Work is performed by SMDC, Huntsville, AL.  Contracts have been awarded to Technovative Applications, Brea CA; Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta GA; Amtec, Huntsville AL; and Delta Research, Huntsville AL. 

Air Force awards MIT Lincoln Labs FFRDC $3BN Sole Source

Defense.gov Contracts for Monday, April 27, 2015

AIR FORCE

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $3,061,852,854 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the operation of the Lincoln Laboratory Federally Funded Research and Development Center. Contractor will apply advanced technology to problems of national security. Research and development activities focus on long-term
technology development as well as rapid system prototyping and demonstration. Work will be performed in Lexington, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2020. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8702-15-D-0001).

Background/Related

MIT Lincoln Laboratory 
The areas that constitute the core of the work performed at Lincoln Laboratory are sensors,  information extraction (signal processing and embedded computing), communications, and integrated sensing and decision support, all supported by a broad research base in advanced electronics.
Research at the Laboratory includes projects in air and missile defense, space surveillance technology, tactical systems, biological and chemical defense, homeland protection, communications, cyber security, and information sciences. The Laboratory takes projects from the initial concept stage, through simulation and analysis, to design and prototyping, and finally to field demonstration.

Two of the Laboratory’s principal technical objectives are

1. (1) the development of components and systems for experiments, engineering measurements, and tests under field operating conditions and 
2. (2) the dissemination of information to the government, academia, and industry.

Since Lincoln Laboratory's establishment in 1951, the national security challenges have evolved from defending against strategic confrontations to addressing adversaries with poorly defined borders and ideologies. The core competencies required to provided technologies to respond to this changing reality-systems analysis, advanced electronic device technology, rapid prototyping, field testing, and ultimately effective transition to the user community-have become hallmarks of the Laboratory's work and will ensure its continued service to the nation.

• MIT Lincoln Laboratory: Publications: Current Journal
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory selected for award
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory Series | The MIT Press

 

Space Solar Power Initiative Established by NGC at Caltech with $17.5M Grant

The Race For Space Solar Power Heats Up

Northrop Grumman’s Joseph Ensor (left) and
Caltech’s Ares Rosakis (right) at the recent SSPI commemoration
event held at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

Space Solar Power Initiative Established by NGC and Caltech
Space Solar Power Initiative Established by Northrop Grumman and Caltech -- PASADENA, Calif., April 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has signed a sponsored research agreement with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for the development of the Space Solar Power Initiative (SSPI). Under the terms of the agreement, Northrop Grumman will provide up to $17.5 million to the initiative over three years.
Working together, the team will develop the scientific and technological innovations necessary to enable a space-based solar power system capable of generating electric power at cost parity with grid-connected fossil fuel power plants. SSPI responds to the engineering challenge of providing a cost-competitive source of sustainable energy. SSPI will develop technologies in three areas:

• high-efficiency ultralight photovoltaics; 
• ultralight deployable space structures; and 
• phased array and power transmission.

SSPI was conceived by three principal investigators from Caltech's Division of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) who jointly lead the initiative:

• Harry A. Atwater, Jr., Howard Hughes Professor of Applied Physics and Materials Science, Director of the Resnick Sustainability Institute;
• Ali Hajimiri, Thomas G. Myers Professor of Electrical Engineering and Medical Engineering; and
• Sergio Pellegrino, Joyce and Kent Kresa Professor of Aeronautics, Professor of Civil Engineering and Jet Propulsion Laboratory Senior Research Scientist.

Related/Background

•  Caltech Receives Northrop Grumman $17.5M Grant - Atwater Research Group
• Are SunSats the next generation ComSats? Don M. Flournoy-ISDC2011.pdf; Online Journal of Space Communication
• Space-based solar power: the energy of the future? - CNN.com
• Space Solar Power
•  

REFERENCES

Selected papers on Space Solar Power has many of these papers

1. Damphousse, Lt. Col. Paul E." Space Solar Power: Energy for the Future," Ad Astra, Winter 2008, pp.48-49.
2. "Energy: Let the Sun Shine in." Economist Technology Quarterly, December 6, 2008, pp.16-18.
3. Flournoy, Don M. "Consats and Sunsats: A Marriage made in Heaven," International Academy of Astronautics, IAA Study Group 3.11: Solar Energy From Space, Toronto, Canada, September 2009, pp.8.
4. Flournoy, Don M. "Our Next Generation of Satellites will Deliver Sun's Energy to Earth," International Conference on Space Information Technology, Beijing, China, November 26-27, 2009 (published by SPIE, Vol. 5985), pp.206-208.
5. Gibbons, John H. "Solar Power Satellites: Current Status, Office of Technology Assessment," Requested by the House Committee on Science and Technology), NTIS order No: PB82-108846, August 1981, pp.1-139. Can also be viewed at http://www.nss.org/.
6. Hedman, Eric R. "If We Build it, Will They Come?" The Space Review, February 4, 2008, pp.1-6. Can be viewed at http://www.thespacereview.com/.
7. Preble, Darel. "How to Build a Space Solar Power System: The Sunsat Incorporation Act," Space Solar Power Workshop, http://www.sspi.gatech.edu/, Jan. 23, 2008, p. 38.
8. Kusiolek, Richard. "Space-based Solar Power Comes to Light," Via Satellite, March 2009, pp. 49-54.
9. McLinko, Ryan M. and Basant V. Sagar. "Space-Based Solar Power Generation Using a Distributed Network of Satellites and Methods for Efficient Space Power Transmission." An MIT student paper prepared for the ICISIT09 Conference held in Beijing, China, Nov. 2009, p. 8.
10. Laborador, Virgil S. The Satellite Technology Guide For the 21st Century. Los Angeles CA: Synthesis Publications, 2008, p. 200.
11. Nansen, Ralph. Sun Power: The Global Solution for the Coming Energy Crisis, 1995, an online book that can be viewed at http://www.nss.org/.
12. Nansen, Ralph. Energy Crisis: Solution from Space, Ontario, Canada: Apogee Books, p. 203.
13. Potter, Seth D. "Low Mass Solar Power Satellites Built from Terrestrial or Lunar Materials," The Boeing Company, Seal Beach CA, January 1994, pp.1-5. Can also be viewed at http://www.spacefuture.com/.
14. Rosen, Stan, "How Space Can Improve Life on Earth," Ad Astra, Spring 2009, pp. 28-30.
15. Rouge, Joseph D. "Space-Based Solar Power as an Opportunity for Strategic Security: Phase O Architecture Feasibility Study," Report to the Director, National Security Space Office, October 10, 2007, pp. 1-39.
16. Sato, Shigeru and Yuji Okada, "Musubishi, IHI to Join $21 Bln Space Solar Project," Sept 1, 2009, www.bloomberg.com.
17. Smith, O. Glenn, "Harvest the Sun - From Space," New York Times, Op Ed, July 23, 2008, p. 1.
18. Snead, James M. (Mike), "The Vital Need for America to Develop Space Solar Power," Spacefaring Institute LLC, May 12, 2009, p. 4. (info@spacefaringinstitute.com) 
19. Xin, Sun, et al. "Financial and Organizational Analysis for a Space Solar Power System: A Business Plan to Make Space Solar Power a Reality." A Multicultural Team Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Business Administration in Aerospace Management, Toulouse Business School, Toulouse, France, May 18, 2009. 

New Arctic Council Chair yields change of tone as Arctic heats up

Canada passes Gavel of Arctic Council to US

News Release: Arctic Council renews commitment to Arctic economic and social development and environmental protection
The theme of Canada’s Chairmanship was “Development for the People of the North”, and during its Chairmanship the Council advanced economic and social development and environmental protection in the Arctic, implementing action-oriented projects and programs on issues such as mental wellness, traditional knowledge and oil pollution prevention to improve the lives of Arctic residents.
U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, the new Chair of the Arctic Council, stated, “There’s only ‘one Arctic’ and all of us – the United States, other nations, indigenous peoples, and Arctic communities - must join together to ensure responsible stewardship of this incredible region.”
The theme of the U.S. Chairmanship is “One Arctic: Shared Opportunities, Challenges and Responsibilities”. During the U.S. Chairmanship, the Arctic Council program will focus on addressing the impacts of climate change; supporting Arctic Ocean safety, security and stewardship; and improving economic and living conditions in Arctic communities.  The Council also established two new task forces: the Task Force on Arctic Marine Cooperation and the Task Force on Telecommunications Infrastructure in the Arctic.

Nicholson deflects criticism over Canada's Arctic Council chairmanship | CTV News
Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson is deflecting criticism over Canada's chairmanship of the Arctic Council, specifically its focus on economic development over the environment and climate change.

As the Arctic warms twice as fast as the rest of the world and new shipping routes open amidst melted seaways, one of the major concerns for experts and environmental groups like Greenpeace has been the protection of the environment during a possible oil spill.
Nicholson rejected those concerns, saying that under Aglukkaq's leadership, the Council has prepared itself for a spill should one occur.

The two-day meeting in Iqaluit marked the end of Canada's chairmanship of the Council; the U.S. takes over for the next two years. On Friday, Algukkaq officially handed over the gavel to U.S Secretary of State John Kerry.

Frosty reception for Russia

Russia has a crucial advantage over the US in the Arctic - Business Insider
Arctic nations meet under threat of new Cold War - Yahoo News
While Aglukkaq greeted Kerry with a hug upon his arrival in Iqaluit, the Russian delegation received a frosty reception from Canada. Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov did not attend the meeting. Rather, the Russians sent their Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi.
Tensions between the West and Russia have been tense since last year when Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. The Canadian government has loudly expressed its opposition to Russia's actions since.

Arctic vessel, aircraft construction delayed

But as military activity in the Arctic increases, Canada's plans to build new Arctic patrol vessels and patrol aircraft, as well as a new deep water port, have been delayed.

US Going forward: Focus on climate change

U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council: The challenges ahead

This weekend the United States will assume the chairmanship of the Arctic Council for a two-year term. While the Obama administration has been preparing for this for several years, it remains to be seen how the president will balance the concerns of most Arctic residents who view development of the region as vital to improving their economic and social livelihood and those individuals inside and outside the administration who want to limit development out of concern for the how economic development may cause local environmental degradation while also accelerating climate change.

As [Secretary of State John] Kerry takes over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council, the focus of the group's attention shifts from economic development to climate change. To kick things off, the Council adopted a framework last week to reduce black carbon and methane emissions in an effort mean to slow the immediate effects of climate change.
Nicholson welcomed the U.S.' commitment to continue Canada's work to reduce the short-lived emissions.
"The United States has indicated that this is going to continue to be a priority for the Arctic Council," sad Nicholson. "I was very pleased quite frankly that environmental sustainability and all the questions in that area are a priority of the Arctic Council and that's going to continue."

Core questions for the administration

As the United States takes the helm of the Arctic Council, there are several core issues that the administration must address. Some critical questions are:

• What is the U.S. position on the development of the Arctic’s oil, gas, mineral, and fishery resources? 
• What specific action is the United States prepared to support in the Arctic Council to uplift the standard of living of Arctic people across the Circumpolar North? 
• Given that each icebreaker costs at least $700 million and that we only have one in operation, what resources are we prepared to expand to build a fleet capable to respond to events in the Arctic? 
• Should any of these expenses be viewed as vital to our national security and defense, and if so, which budget should they be taken out of? 
• What role does the United States in its chairmanship role see for closer interaction between the Arctic Council and the Arctic Economic Council? 
• Would the United States support the closing off of certain ecologically sensitive parts of the Arctic to all commercial exploitation? 
• Finally, how does the administration in its Arctic Council leadership role get its Arctic policy in sync with that of the state of Alaska in its recently released Alaska Arctic Policy Implementation Plan?

Nordics Nervous about Russia

  Nordic countries banding together against Russia - Business Insider
The Nordic countries, not generally known for extreme foreign policies or a habit of overreacting to current events, have started to voice increasingly louder concerns over Russia's role in the Baltics and the Arctic.
In early April, the five Nordic nations — Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland — announced their plans to expand defense ties.
The move toward further collective defense treaties showcases just how concerned these states have become: Iceland, Denmark, and Norway are already full NATO members. Sweden and Finland had steered away from the organization out of concerns over infuriating Russia — but they are thinking about the alliance again.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/nordic-countries-banding-together-against-russia-2015-4#ixzz3YT0u0uP2

Arctic Patrol and Reconnaissance Conference 

New Wiley/IEEE Press Book -Contemporary Issues in Systems Science and Engineering

May be of interest to Systems Engineers

Wiley: Contemporary Issues in Systems Science and Engineering

MengChu Zhou, Han-Xiong Li, Margot Weijnen

ISBN: 978-1-118-27186-5, 888 pages, April 2015, Wiley-IEEE Press

UC San Diego Contemporary issues in systems science and engineering / edited by MengChu Zhou, Han-Xiong Li, Margot Weijnen

This represents the most comprehensive systems engineering book, allowing systems engineers to evaluate increasingly complex problems and challenges through actual discrete events in order to reach the most effective solution. With world renowned systems engineers contributing, the book features 25 chapters, each on a different discrete subject, with accompanying discussions and conclusions. The topics range from discrete event systems, distributed intelligent systems, grey systems, and enterprise information systems, to conflict resolution, robotics and intelligent sensing, systems biology, and system of systems approaches

-- Provided by publisher

 Abbreviated Table of Contents

• I SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING METHODOLOGIES 1
• 1 A SYSTEMS FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABILITY 3 Ali G. Hessami, Feng Hsu, and Hamid Jahankhani
• 2 SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS THINKING IN POLICY DEVELOPMENT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 21 Keith W. Hipel, Liping Fang, and Michele Bristow
• 3 SYSTEMIC YOYOS: AN INTUITION AND PLAYGROUND FOR GENERAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 71 Yi Lin, Yi Dongyun, and Zaiwu Gong
• 4 GREY SYSTEM: THINKING, METHODS, AND MODELS WITH APPLICATIONS 153 Sifeng Liu, Jeffrey Y.L. Forrest, and Yingjie Yang
• 5 BUILDING RESILIENCE: NAVAL EXPEDITIONARY COMMAND AND CONTROL 225 Christopher Nemeth, Thomas Miller, Michael Polidoro, and C. Matthew O'Connor
• II LEARNING AND CONTROL 241
• 6 ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES ON INTELLIGENT LEARNING IN CONTROL SYSTEMS 243 Ching-Chih Tsai, Kao-Shing Hwang, Alan Liu, and Chia-Feng Juang
• 7 ADAPTIVE CLASSIFIERS FOR NONSTATIONARY ENVIRONMENTS 265 Cesare Alippi, Giacomo Boracchi, Manuel Roveri, Gregory Ditzler, and Robi Polikar
• 8 MODELING, ANALYSIS, SCHEDULING, AND CONTROL OF CLUSTER TOOLS IN SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION 289 Nai Qi Wu, Mengchu Zhou, Feng Chu, and Sayd Mammar
• 9 DESIGN, SIMULATION, AND DYNAMIC CONTROL OF LARGE-SCALE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WITH DIFFERENT FORMS OF UNCERTAINTIES 317 Hyunsoo Lee and Amarnath Banerjee
• 10 MODEL IDENTIFICATION AND SYNTHESIS OF DISCRETE-EVENT SYSTEMS 343 Maria Paola Cabasino, Philippe Darondeau, Maria Pia Fanti, and Carla Seatzu
• III HUMAN–MACHINE SYSTEMS DESIGN 367
• 11 ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES IN INTELLIGENT ADAPTIVE INTERFACE DESIGN 369 Ming Hou, Haibin Zhu, Mengchu Zhou, and Robert Arrabito
• 12 A COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS APPROACH TO HUMAN–AUTOMATION INTERACTION IN SMART GRID 425 Alireza Fereidunian, Hamid Lesani, Mohammad Ali Zamani, Mohamad Amin Sharifi Kolarijani, Negar Hassanpour, and Sina Sharif Mansouri
• 13 VIRTUAL TRAINING FOR PROCEDURAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: CASE STUDIES AND LESSONS LEARNT 501 Dawei Jia, Asim Bhatti, and Saeid Nahavandi
• 14 COMPUTER SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE DESIGN: TECHNOLOGIES, SYSTEMS, AND APPLICATIONS 537 Weiming Shen, Jean-Paul Barthes, and Junzhou Luo
• 15 SUPPORT COLLABORATION WITH ROLES 575 Haibin Zhu, Mengchu Zhou, and Ming Hou
• IV CLOUD AND SERVICE-ORIENTED COMPUTING 599
• 16 CONTROL-BASED APPROACHES TO DYNAMIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CLOUD COMPUTING 601 Pengcheng Xiong, Calton Pu, Zhikui Wang, and Gueyoung Jung
• 17 A PETRI NET SOLUTION TO PROTOCOL-LEVEL MISMATCHES IN SERVICE COMPOSITION 619 Pengcheng Xiong, Mengchu Zhou, Calton Pu, and Yushun Fan
• 18 SERVICE-ORIENTED WORKFLOW SYSTEMS 645 Wei Tan and Mengchu Zhou
• V SENSING, NETWORKING, AND OPTIMIZATION IN ROBOTICS AND MANUFACTURING 661
• 19 REHABILITATION ROBOTIC PROSTHESES FOR UPPER EXTREMITY 663 Han-Pang Huang, Yi-Hung Liu, Wei-Chen Lee, Jiun-Yih Kuan, and Tzu-Hao Huang
• 20 ACCELEROMETER-BASED BODY SENSOR NETWORK (BSN) FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING 699 Ming-Yih Lee, Kin Fong Lei, Wen-Yen Lin, Wann-Yun Shieh, Wen-Wei Tsai, Simon H. Fu, and Chung-Hsien Kuo
• 21 TELEPRESENCE ROBOTS FOR MEDICAL AND HOMECARE APPLICATIONS 725 Jun-Ming Lu and Yeh-Liang Hsu
• 22 ADVANCES IN CLIMBING ROBOTS 737 Jizhong Xiao and Hongguang Wang
• 23 DATA PROCESSING IN CURRENT 3D ROBOTIC PERCEPTION SYSTEMS 767 Cang Ye
• 24 HYBRID/ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY MANUFACTURING: THE STATE-OF-THE-ART 795 Claudia P. Arenas Guerrero, Feng Ju, Jingshan Li, Guoxian Xiao, and Stephan Biller
• 25 RECENT ADVANCES AND ISSUES IN FACILITY LOCATION PROBLEMS 817 Feng Chu, Zhanguo Zhu, and Sayd Mammar

SkyRadar Radar and SAR Basics, UAV Detection E-Learning

Radar Tutorial - Skyradar
The Skyradar Basic II is constructed as a special didactical FMCW radar for vocational training, specially adapted to the particular client requirement and the desired training topics. It uses a standard satellite dish with a diameter of 60 cm, mounted on a heavy camera tripod. Inside the housing (the black box under the antenna) there is the evaluation board ST200 with a USB 2.0 cable for connection to a personal computer or laptop. The feeding element of the parabolic dish is the transceiver K-MC1 operating in K–band. The antenna focuses the emitted power to a pencil beam with a width of about 2 degrees. This allows a very large maximum range of more than 200 meters, regardless of very low transmission power (much less than your own mobile phone).

SkyRadar develops and distributes radar training systems (CW, FMCW, Pulse, Doppler, Synthetic Aperture Radar, FMCW, MTI, MTD, Primary Radars, SSR, etc.) for universities and academies. 

SkyRadar Modular Radar Training System –
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

 Research papers and case studies on Drone detection and UAV detection
SkyRadar provides remote controlled quadcopters and systems for drone detection experiments and modular radar training system. Our research team is at the forefront of developing solutions for small UAV detection in close range (10 m – 1000 m).
Miniaturisation of UAVs and an increased thread of misuse in EW and terror shifted emphasis on the detection and elimination of drones.

▶ SAR Tutor: E-Learning on Radar Basics and SAR - YouTube

Published on Mar 4, 2015

http://www.skyradar.com/e-learning-ra...
The e-Learning courses Radar Basics and SAR Basics were developed with the focus on Radar Image Interpretation.

Radar Basics: This e-learning course includes six e-learning modules, covering the principles of radar and how to interpret radar images of airports, harbors or industrial facilities. It also includes valuable information on how to identify of specific types of industrial building objects in radar-based aerial images. Electromagnetic Waves Operation Mode Image Acquistion Radar Effects Image Resolution RAR Systems

SAR Basics: This e-Learning Course includes 4 e-Learning modules, starting with the SAR principles around the Doppler Effect and guiding right up to procedures of SAR image interpretation and object oriented interpretation. Doppler Effect SAR Resolution Operation Mode SAR Processing

Get right to the Radar Basics and SAR e-learning course, online at:
http://www.skyradar.com/e-learning-radar-basics-and-synthetic-aperture-radar/

4-dimensional continuous wave radar system for traffic safety enforcement

US020150102954A120150416 - US20150102954A1.pdf

4-dimensional continuous wave radar system for traffic safety enforcement

A radar system for detecting a single object from a plurality of objects and calculating 4D information of said object may include a first radar for obtaining first positional information of a first object, a second radar for obtaining second positional information of a second object and a computer for comparing the first positional information with the second positional information to determine if the first object is the same as the second object and combining the matched first positional and second positional information into 4D information.

AFRL puts belly EO ball in Cesna206T for stateside MQ-1B Predator Training Surrogate

CAP Cessna 182 aircraft with wing mounted turret
used for Surrogate Predator 1,2

CAP Cessna 206T to be used for Enhanced Surrogate Predator 3

AF Research Laboratory redesigns mock UAV
AFRL's Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base modified a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182 aircraft to be used for military training exercises. The Surrogate Predator has intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors that provide the capability to mimic a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle.

MQ-1 Predator

AFRL, which has been part of the Surrogate Predator Program since 2008, recently completed and delivered the Enhanced Surrogate Predator 3 to CAP, according to program manager J. P. Sena.
"The Enhanced Surrogate Predator 3 is a redesign of the first two surrogate predators, which had a wing-mounted turret," Sena said. "We designed the Cessna 206T with a retractable turret stowed in the belly of the aircraft that allows for longer flight times by reducing drag when the turret is not in operation. The operator station was also designed with ergonomics in mind to allow for more leg room, ease of controls, central location for all the equipment and a plethora of capabilities for the sensor operator."

 Related/ Background

• DO12__CAP_Green_Flag_Brief_2_A66F6320275AA.pdf
• Civil Air Patrol Mission Enhanced by High-Tech Cessna 182 Skylane | Airport Journals

Jason-3 continues precision Ocean Observations

Jason-3 Satellite

Jason-3 Is A Big Boy... Launches Website ...A Precursor To His Launch
[Satnews] Launching July 22, 2015 will be Jason-3 the newest satellite in a series designed to maintain long-term satellite altimetry observations of global sea surface height.
These data provide critical ocean information that forecasters need to predict devastating hurricanes and severe weather before they arrive onshore. Over the long term, Jason-3 will help us to track global sea level rise, an increasing threat to the resilience of coastal communities and to the health of our environment.
Jason-3’s highly accurate altimetry measurements will be used for a variety of scientific, commercial and operational applications, including:

• Hurricane intensity forecasting 
• Surface wave forecasting for offshore operators 
• Forecasting tides and currents for commercial shipping and ship routing 
• Coastal forecasting for response to environmental problems like oil spills and harmful algal blooms 
• Coastal modeling crucial for marine mammal and coral reef research 
• El Niño and La Niña forecasting 

JPL | Missions | Jason 3
Extending the timeline of ocean surface topography measurements begun by the Topex/Poseidon and Jason 1 and 2 satellites, Jason 3 will make highly detailed measurements of sea-level on Earth to gain insight into ocean circulation and climate change. 

Like its predecessors (Jason 1 and 2, and Topex/Poseidon),
is a cooperative of agencies and organizations around the world.

Scientific Instrument(s)

• - Altimeter
• - Microwave radiometer
• - Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS)
• - Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA)
• - Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver

NOAA will contribute to Jason-3's payload and will also be responsible for the launch of the spacecraft. The payload will consist of the same core instruments as Jason-2:

• a Poseidon class Ku/C-band radar altimeter to provide the primary ranging measurement,[ Performances of the POSEIDON-1 radar altimeter, Poseidon Radar Altimeter Flight Model Design and Tests Results]
• a nadir–looking three frequency (18.7, 23.8, and 34.0 GHz) microwave radiometer (as flown on Jason-2), along with 
• a POD (Precise Orbit Determination) package consisting of 
• a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, 
• DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite), and 
• a LRA (Laser Retroreflector Array), as flown on prior Jason series missions. 

Two additional instruments (dosimeters from CNES and JAXA) will also be embarked to evaluate the radiation environment. - NOAA has engaged NASA/JPL to act on its behalf to fulfill some of its respective commitments on the flight system development (Ref. 10).

  Jason-3 Proteus bus (image credit: CNES, TAS)

Jason-3 is three-axis stabilized and nadir pointing - maintained by reaction wheels and magnetic torque rods. Power (580 W) is provided by two solar panels. A hydrazine propellant system is being used for orbital maintenance. Jason-3 has a launch mass of about 550 kg; the design life is 5 years.

Platform dry mass, payload mass	277 kg, 255 kg
Propellant mass	28 kg of hydrazine
Spacecraft launch mass	553 kg
Electrical power	550 W (EOL)
Spacecraft pointing accuracy	0.15º (1/2 cone)
Onboard data storage capacity	2 Gbit
Spacecraft design life	5 years

Parameters of the Jason-3 spacecraft

RF communications: Downlink data rate at 838 kbit/s (S-band, QPSK modulation), uplink at 4 kbit/s (S-band). The CCSDS communication protocol standard is used in the forward and return link mode (use of virtual channels). Convolutional coding is also applied to telemetry.

 

Illustration of the Jason-3 spacecraft (image credit: CNES)

 

Launch: A launch of the Jason-3 is scheduled for mid-2015. ¹⁴⁾
In July 2012, NASA contracted SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies) of Hawthorne, CA to launch Jason-3 aboard a Falcon 9 V1.0 rocket from Complex 4 at VAFB (Vandenberg Air Force Base), CA. ¹⁵⁾

Orbit: Circular non‐sun‐synchronous orbit; 1336 km altitude (2 hour period), inclination = 66.038º, 9.9 day repeat orbits (127 revolutions), ground track repeatability = ±1 km cross‐track at the equator. The drift of the orbital plane with respect to the inertial reference frame is -2º per day.

MQ-4C UAS first flight with AN/ZPY-3 MFAS search radar

Triton UAS flies with MFAS search radar - News - Shephard

The US Navy’s MQ-4C Triton UAS flew with the new Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) search radar on 18 April.

The MFAS radar covers a large geographic area while providing all-weather coverage to the Triton. According the navy, this will enhance maritime domain awareness by expediting the detection, classification, tracking and identification of points of interest.
During the flight, the MFAS radar exercised its Maritime Surface Surveillance primary operating mode. The MQ-4C Triton UAS will carry the following mission sensors:

• the MFAS radar
• an electro-optical/infrared sensor that provides still imagery and full motion video of potential threats
• electronic support measures package to geo-locate radar threat signals
• Automatic Identification System (AIS) to detect and track vessels with AIS responders.

Sean Burke, Triton program manager, said: ‘This first sensor flight is a huge achievement for the program.
‘Our navy and Northrop Grumman team has worked extremely hard on this developmental effort, completing more than 40 surrogate flights over the last three years, and we saw the realization of that development work.’
Lt. Cmdr. Glenn Rioux, government flight test director, said: ‘Our primary objective was to test this new radar, but we also looked at how the aircraft performed as well as testing additional data links.

AN/ZPY-3 Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS)
The AN/ZPY-3 MFAS is a 360-degree field-of-regard active electronically scanned array radar designed for maritime surveillance. The X-Band two-dimensional sensor features a combination of electronic scanning and a mechanical rotation, allowing the radar to spotlight a geographic area of interest for longer periods to increase detection capabilities of smaller targets, particularly in sea clutter.
The AN/ZPY-3 MFAS sensor is the first radar system to provide full 360-degree persistent coverage of both open oceans and littoral regions from extremely long ranges.
The AN/ZPY-3 MFAS sensor operates with a rotating sensor that incorporates electronic scanning and provides mode agility to switch between various surveillance methods. These include

• maritime-surface-search (MSS) mode for tracking maritime targets and
• inverse-synthetic-aperture radar (ISAR) mode for classifying ships.
• Image-while-scan capability is used to interleave very short duration ISAR functions (ISAR snapshot and high- range resolution) during MSS scans.
• Two synthetic aperture radar (SAR) modes are used for ground searches;
• spot SAR for images of the ground and stationary targets and
• strip SAR for images along a fixed line.

PEO(U&W) Overview

USPS joins Amazon, UPS looking to deliver with UAS from electric van

US Postal Service Looks into UAS

The likes of GM and Nissan are keeping unusual company in the bidding war to build and deliver the next generation of delivery vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service. Workhorse Group Inc. have made it to the 16-company shortlist with their octocopter drone delivery system, developed by the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science. The self-guiding UAV 'HorseFly' has multiple hardware and software redundancy systems and launches from its special host van 'WorkHorse' to get the parcel the final hurdle to the door. The drone can recharge itself wirelessly in two minutes at base, and calculates its own routes from the van to the destination door.

The Dream of Delivery Drones Is Alive (And On A Truck) | Popular Science

Loveland company develops drone delivery truck | WVXU

Inside a nondescript Loveland building, AMP Electric Vehicles is putting the finishing touches on the electric delivery trucks it’s building for UPS.
[AMP Holding CEO Steve Burns Interviewed On TheStreet.com - TheStreet] United Parcel Service ordered 18 of them for its Houston market and AMP CEO Steve Burns is trying to convince them to buy more of the electric trucks.
The electric truck
Burns says these quieter, cleaner trucks do have a higher up-front cost, but cost just $.30 per mile to run compared to $1.00 per mile with gas and maintenance in a regular truck. The battery pack consists of 8,000 Panasonic cells. He says a small gas generator provides a trickle charge.
The drone component
There will be an add-on drone for any company that wants it once commercial drones are approved by the FAA.
The horsefly drone was developed by AMP electric vehicles and University of Cincinnati researchers. It comes complete with four cameras and eight rotors.



 

[Avionics Today 04-22-2015] The United States Postal Service (USPS) has released a shortlist of companies bidding to build its next generation of delivery vehicles — and an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) company is among them. Workhorse Group could be delivering packages for the U.S. government through an electric delivery truck, called the Workhorse, and its Horsefly eight-rotor UAS as early as 2018.


The U.S. Postal Service has octocopter drones on the brain | SiliconANGLE

Next Mail Truck May Have Rotors | Workhorse Advanced Vehicles
More than a dozen companies, including those now making military Humvees and luxury sport-utility vehicles, are vying to bring the lowly mail truck into the future.
Fifteen suppliers have been qualified in the first leg of a competition that could be worth $5 billion over several years, according to the U.S. Postal Service. The USPS wants a vehicle able to operate for 20 years, and intends to buy 180,000 vehicles over three years.
Early contenders suggest the mail service is considering everything from drones to gasoline-powered vans to battery-powered vehicles for its fleet.

Request for Information and Prequalification/Sources Sought - Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Acquisition Program - RFI-NGDV - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities
The United States Postal Service is issuing a Request for Information and Prequalification/Sources Sought for its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Acquisition Program.  The purpose of this RFI is to inform prospective suppliers on the USPS's preliminary/draft specifications and plans for acquisition of NGDV fleet replacements.  The information contained in this RFI and Sources Sought announcement is considered the most current available information; however the USPS reserves the right to modify any and all provisions of the document contained within.

1. AM General LLC 408 S Byrkit Street Mishawaka, IN 46544-3012
2. AMP Holding, Inc.  100 Commerce Dr. Loveland, OH 45140-7726  [AMP Holding Inc. Announces Official Name Change to Workhorse Group Inc. Stock Symbol Changes from AMPD to WKHS | Workhorse Advanced Vehicles]   
3. Emerald Automotive 420 Brookes Dr. Hazelwood, MO 63042
4. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC 1000 Chrysler Dr. Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2766
5. Ford Motor Company 16800 Executive Plaza Dr. Regent Court Bldg. – Mail Drop 6N-1A Dearborn, MI 48126-4262
6. Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation 552 Hyatt Street Gaffney, SC 29341-2598
7. Karsan Company 885 2nd Ave FL 47 New York, NY 10017-2200
8. Mahindra North American Technical Center 1055 W Square Lake Rd. Troy, MI 48098-2523
9. Morgan Olson, LLC 1801 S. Nottawa Street Sturgis, MI 49091-8723
10. Nissan North America, Inc. 1 Nissan Way  Franklin, TN 37067-6367
11. OEM Systems, LLC 210 W Oklahoma Ave. Okarche, OK 73762
12. Oshkosh Corporation 2307 Oregon Street P.O. Box 2566 Oshkosh, WI 54903-2566
13. Utilimaster Corporation 603 Earthway Blvd. Bristol, IN 46507-9182
14. VT Hackney, Inc. 911 W 5th Street  Washington, NC 27889-4205
15. ZAP Jonway  501 4th Street  Santa Rosa, CA 95401-6308

Obama Gives USPS Ultimatum To Deliver Mail By Drones - WIT 

SBIR 15.2 and 15.B Pre-release Announcement

15.2 and 15.B Pre-release Announcement 

The DoD SBIR 15.2 and the STTR 15.B Solicitations have been pre-released on the new DoD SBIR/STTR Small Business Portal -- https://sbir.defensebusiness.org. In addition to the new design, the site boasts exciting features to improve your experience such as: Personal Account Integration:  Manage information and proposals with your personal account. Better Search Engine:  Produce better search results. Integrated SITIS:  You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Save As You Go:  System crashes - No problem! Your progress is saved. Improved Security:   Increased safety measures to secure your company’s information. To learn about all of the new features click here. Some Interesting Topics: SBIR N152-113 Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) Detection and Classification in Harbor Environments SBIR N152-083 Synthetic Aperture Radar Approaches for Small Maritime Target Detection and Discrimination SBIR A152-096 Advanced Coordinated Control, Formation Flying for Nano-Satellite Applications

Airware Releases Comprehensive Operating System for Commercial UAS

Airware CEO Jonathan Downey speaking at the launch of the
company's Aerial Information Platform.
Image Credit: Daniel Terdiman/VentureBea

Airware Releases Comprehensive Operating System for Commercial UAS

Airware has unveiled its Aerial Information Platform (AIP), an operating system for commercial drones that combines hardware, software and cloud services to enable enterprises to safely operate drones at scale, comply with regulatory and insurance requirements, and rapidly develop industry-specific drone solutions.

The Airware AIP will offer

• aircraft fleet management,
• user authentication,
• data management and
• the ability to integrate workflows and data with existing business systems, including
• enterprise resource planning (ERP),
• geographic information systems (GIS) and
• asset management.

The platform is marketed as intuitive and easy to use, requiring minimal training and enabling sophisticated autonomous flight with geofencing and contingency management features. The company is marketing the AIP for a number of commercial applications, including infrastructure inspection, land management, public safety, environmental monitoring, surveying and mapping, precision agriculture, search and rescue, and wildlife conservation.

Airware launches end-to-end hardware, software, and cloud platform for commercial drones | VentureBeat | Business | by Daniel Terdiman
PETALUMA, California — Companies across a wide range of industries, from mining to oil and gas exploration to surveying and mapping, could have an easier time than ever integrating drones into their businesses thanks to a new end-to-end hardware, software, and cloud services operating system for drones.
Known as the Aerial Information Platform, the system from San Francisco’s Airware is meant to give enterprises a clear path to using drones, regardless of the type of mission or level of expertise they have.
During a launch event at a farm in this sleepy Northern California town Tuesday, Airware and a group of its first customers explained how the platform could help make drones ubiquitous across the enterprise, in large part by standardizing the flight-control, sensor, and data-analysis tools that until now have only been available piecemeal from a variety of providers.

At launch today, the subscription-based system comprises Airware’s flight core: its autopilot system that runs the Airware flight software; its ground-control station tool, a Windows app for desktop computers or tablets that is used to plot flights and control drones; and its configuration manager software, which allows for quick tailoring of drone software and hardware.

Related/Background

• Airware | AngelList 
• Aerial Information Platform | the Net economy
• GE Ventures - Hardware and Software Take Flight With Airware
• Jonathan Downey Airware

Navy Conducts Test of Aerial Refueling with X-47B to finish Successful UCAS-D Program

Navy Conducts Successful Test of Aerial Refueling with X-47B, UCAS-D Program Ending - USNI News

The Navy successfully tested autonomous aerial refueling for the first time with its Northrop Grumman X-47B test unmanned aerial vehicle on Wednesday, marking the end of the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Air Vehicle demonstrator (UCAS-D) program, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) told USNI News shortly after the aircraft landed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

Cruising over the Chesapeake Bay, the X-47B — call sign Salty Dog 502 — successfully maneuvered behind an contracted Omega Aerial Refueling Services Boeing 707 tanker and took on more than 4,000 pounds of fuel before heading back to Pax River at about 1:15 P.M. EST, NAVAIR
spokesperson Jamie Cosgrove told USNI News.

The probe-and-drogue refueling test was successfully completed during the first of two test windows NAVAIR had on Wednesday and days before the availability of the Omega tanker was to expire, USNI News understands.

On April 15, Salty Dog 502 successfully linked with the tanker, but didn’t transfer fuel. At least one other test refueling was aborted due to turbulence.

Related/previously:

• USN X-47B completes air-to-air refuelling test - 4/23/2015 - Flight Global
• spendergast: X-47b UCAS-D demonstrates auto-aerial refueling for first time 
• spendergast: Navy to Conduct First Aerial Refueling of X-47B Carrier Drone | Defense Tech
• Fill-er-up!: 5 Things To Know About X-47B’s Latest Achievement | Navy Live 

ONR awards Lockheed Martin $15.8M to study improvements of E-2D Radar

A--Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science and - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

• Sol. #: ONRBAA-14-001A 
• Agency: Department of the Navy 
• Office: Office of Naval Research 
• Location: ONR 
• Posted On: Apr 22, 2015 3:17 pm 
• Current Type: Award 
• Base Type: Award Notice 
• Base Posting Date: Mar 13, 2015 2:12 pm 
• Link: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/ONR/ONR/Awards/N00014-15-C-0094.html
• Contract Award Number: N00014-15-C-5007
• Contract Award Dollar Amount: $15,851,774
• Contractor Awardee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
• 497 ELECTRONICS PKWY BLDG 5
• LIVERPOOL NY13088606
• Synopsis:  IGF::CT::IGF E-2D Radar Enhancement Study and Demonstration

Track Changes

Background/Related

• spendergast: Navy eyes get sharper with E-2D
• E-2D Advanced Hawkeye | E-2C, AN/APY-9, Budget/Costs, Specs
  The E-2D comes with many new features installed, including the Lockheed Martin AN/APY-9 Airborne Early Warning Radar, which provides both mechanical and electronic scanning capabilities. The AN/APY-9 can detect smaller targets (and more of them) at a greater range. The E-2D's radar and identification friend or foe (IFF) system can detect targets at ranges in excess of 345 miles (556 km). The aircraft's electronic support measure system can detect and classify targets at distances beyond radar limits. The onboard communications and data processing subsystems are capable of collecting and distributing tactical pictures and data to command centers and other assets for network-centric operations. The 24-foot rotodome contains a new electronically scanned array, which provides critically important continuous 360-degree scanning (the UHF electronically scanned array antenna was developed by L-3 Communications). Other new features are a fully integrated tactical glass cockpit (Northrop Grumman), an advanced identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system (BAE Systems), a new mission computer (Raytheon), electronic support measures enhancements, and a state-of-the-art communications and data link suite.
• Lockheed Martin Airborne Early Warning Radar Helps Coordinate Haiti Relief Effort · Lockheed Martin
  Recently Lockheed Martin announced that it had been awarded a low-rate initial production contract valued at $171.8 million from Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems for four AN/APY-9 Airborne Early Warning (AEW) radar systems and spare parts. Designed and developed by Lockheed Martin, the AN/APY-9 is a two generation leap-ahead in AEW radar, and features both a solid-state transmitter with higher power than its predecessor for extended range, as well as digital receivers to increase sensitivity. The UHF radar can “see” smaller targets -- and more of them -- at a greater range, particularly in coastal regions and over land. Its electronically scanned array provides critically important, continuous 360-degree coverage. As a new capability, flight operators also can now focus the radar on select areas of interest. Lockheed Martin expects to produce the APY-9 radar systems for all 75 of the U.S. Navy’s new planned E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
• Advanced Hawkeye - 0604234n_5_pb_2015.pdf
  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) program develops, demonstrates, tests, and procures the replacement of the AN/APS-145 radar system and other aircraft system components including Cooperative Engagement Capability Pre-Planned Product Improvement and Dual Transmit Satellite Communications that modernize the E-2 weapon system to maintain open ocean mission capability while providing the United States Navy with an effective littoral surveillance, battle management, Naval Integrated Fire Control - Counter Air (NIFC-CA) and Theater Air and Missile Defense (TAMD) capability. Key radar technologies are Space-Time Adaptive Processing, Electronically Scanning Array, solid state transmitter, high dynamic range digital receivers and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)/radar aperture integration. The resultant detection system will provide a substantially improved overland performance by correcting current sensor shortfalls and enhancing all current required mission areas, while simultaneously contributing to the emerging TAMD mission requirements. Mode 5/S is an upgrade to the existing IFF System providing the warfighter positive, secure and reliable identification of friendly aircraft, surface and sub-surface platforms. Mode 5/S replaces the National Security Administration de-certified Mode 4 IFF capability, which is no longer effective or suitable for modern military operations. Mode 5/S will support the Joint Initial Operational Capability (IOC) as defined by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council.
• The U.S. Navy's Secret Counter-Stealth Weapon Could Be Hiding in Plain Sight - USNI NewsThe key to that capability is the aircraft’s powerful UHF-band hybrid mechanical/electronically-scanned AN/APY-9 radar built by Lockheed Martin. Both friend and foe alike have touted UHF radars as an effective countermeasure to stealth technology.
  One example of that is a paper prepared by Arend Westra that appeared in the National Defense University’s Joint Forces Quarterly academic journal in the 4^th quarter issue of 2009. “It is the physics of longer wavelength and resonance that enables VHF and UHF radar to detect stealth aircraft,” Westra wrote in his article titled Radar vs. Stealth.
  
  

Top 10 AEW Radar Platforms

Airborne early wonders: our Top 10 eyes in the sky - 2/27/2015 - Flight Global

1. Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye – 96 (in service)
1. E-2C with AN/APS-145 Radar
2. E-2D Advanced Hawkeye with AN/APY-9 Radar - 75 planned
2. Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS – 63
3. Ilyushin Il-76/Beriev A-50 Mainstay – 29
4. Kamov Ka-31 – 26
5. Saab Erieye – 20
6. Boeing 737 Wedgetail – 13
7. Shaanxi Y-8 – 13
8. Westland Sea King 7 – 10
9. Elta Systems CAEW – 6
10. Boeing E-767 AWACS – 4

Team Indus is in a global space race for Moon, man and machine

Team Indus

Derek Webber, Google Lunar XPrize judge, and David Locke, manager of the prize,
examining the engineering model of Team Indus' lander in Bengaluru earlier this week.

Team Indus | Aspire, Believe, Create

Moon, man and machine

An Indian team of young professionals Team Indus is in a global space race, flagged off by Google, to land a rover on the lunar surface, before end-2015, says Varuna Verma 



Narayan's geek group is the only Indian team competing in a moon marathon flagged off by IT giant Google in 2007. The Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP) competition has 18 privately funded teams racing to build and land a spacecraft (lander in space-speak) on the moon.

Once on the moon, the spacecraft will eject a rover, which has to move 500 metres — no mean feat, given the moon's low gravity and sticky, superfine-sand surface — and beam back high-definition images and videos. The deadline is December 31, 2015. The first successful mission wins a $20 million jackpot.


For Team Indus, the going has been good so far, says founding member Dilip Chabria. "We're ready with a fully functional prototype of the rover and we're integrating the lander," he says. The project got a thumbs-up from former Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chief K. Kasturirangan after a tech review last month, Chabria adds.


With its two main machines in order, the team is now in talks with Isro officials about permitting its spacecraft to hitch a ride on the PSLV (polar satellite launch vehicle) up to the Low Earth Orbit — the cruising altitude for satellites.


The team has had some hurrah moments — celebrated with tea and samosas — on the way. It's won two Milestone prizes — cash awards of $2 million each — given by Google to teams moving on the right track and timeline. It was much needed money for the Indian start-up, which estimates its moon mission will cost about $45 million.


With two trophies under its belt, Indus has jumped into the top three rank, along with the US-based teams Astrobiotics and Moon Express.

Team Indus has, clearly, emerged as the dark horse of the race. Narayan, who says his only exposure to space was the Star Trek TV series, Julius Amrit and Indranil Chakraborty were buddies at the  Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, where they studied computer science. Chabria is a marketing man and Sameer Joshi a former Indian Air Force pilot.

India's Team Indus goes for the moon shot - The Times of India
"Even if Team Indus launches later than the deadline of Google Lunar XPrize, India will salute you," N Vedachalam, a retired senior official of ISRO told Rahul Narayan and the others at Team Indus recently .

It's a line that nobody in the young team that Narayan leads can forget. And it's accolades like these that are keeping the team going, and which have considerably strengthened their determination to beat the Google Lunar XPrize deadline.

Narayan, an IIT-Delhi alumnus and a space enthusiast who had done several tech ventures, conceptualized the Moon mission in 2011 when he heard about the Google Lunar XPrize, a global competition to land a robotic space craft on the Moon by December 2015. 

Cobham picks Selex Seaspray 5000E AESA radar for Australia SAR Aircraft

Cobham contracts Selex to deliver Seaspray 5000E AESA radar for Australia - Naval Technology

Australia's Cobham Aviation Services has awarded a contract to Selex ES, a Finmeccanica company, for its Seaspray 5000E active electronically scanned array (AESA) surveillance radars.

The radars will be used in Cobham's Challenger CL-604, search and rescue (SAR) aircraft, to help the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) with airborne SAR services.

AMSA will deploy Cobham's radars from August 2016, once the current contract expires.

Under the contract Cobham will be responsible for acquiring, modifying, commissioning and then operating and maintaining four Challenger CL-604 special mission jet aircraft, which will provide SAR capability over land and at sea from bases in Cairns, Melbourne and Perth.

NASA variant of Predator serves Science Missions Transforming Perception of UAVs

UAS Magazine – The Latest News on Unmanned Aerial Systems - Transforming Our Perception of Drones

when the day comes that UAVs are routinely crisscrossing the skies performing tasks ranging from inspecting pipelines to surveying land to providing data and communications during and after natural disasters, NASA’s civilian research variant of the MQ-9 Predator B—the Ikhana—will have played a pivotal role in transitioning UAS from military to civil use through public and private collaboration.
Since 2006 when NASA acquired the Ikhana—a Choctaw word which means intelligent, conscious or aware—from General Atomics to support its earth science missions, the UAV has been used to develop and demonstrate advanced aeronautical technologies and as a test bed to develop capabilities and technologies that improve unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Ikhana/Predator B Unmanned Science and Research Aircraft System | NASA

A General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Predator B unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was acquired by NASA in November 2006 to support Earth science missions and advanced aeronautical technology development. The aircraft, named Ikhana, also acts as a test bed to develop capabilities and technologies to improve the utility of unmanned aircraft systems.

The Aviationist » NASA’s demilitarized MQ-9 Predator B drone filmed Orion splashdown for NASA TV

The Orion descending for landing as planned in the Pacific Ocean was filmed by NASA’s Ikhana UAS (Unmanned Aerial System). The drone, a demilitarized MQ-9 Predator B owned and operated by the agency with technical support from the Air Force’s Medium Altitude UAS Division and the Nevada Air National Guard, was acquired by NASA in 2006 to support science missions and technology developments.

GA-ASI Advances SAA Capability With Two New Flight Tests | sUAS News

GA-ASI is currently working with NASA to integrate the proof-of-concept SAA system aboard NASA’s Predator B, called Ikhana. Ikhana will serve as the primary test aircraft in a SAA flight test scheduled to take place this month and next at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. The flight test campaign will evaluate the SAA system in a wide variety of both collision avoidance and self-separation encounters and will include a sensor fusion algorithm being developed by Honeywell.