System for testing space weapons

• US 4,726,224 A
• Filed: 02/24/1986
• Issued: 02/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert F D'Ausilio
• Original Assignee: Robert F D'Ausilio
• Inventors: D'Ausilio, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASICH, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US06/832,450
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 73/167, 244/3.15, 244/3.1
• US Class Current: 73/167
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1021 Earth observation satellites
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/32 Devices for testing or checking
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 5/26 Apparatus for testing or checking
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 35/00 Testing or checking of ammunition apparatus for measuring the energy of projectiles G01L5/14

Abstract

A system for testing space weapons includes a weapons platform and at least one target which are positioned in space, means for precisely determining the positions of the weapon and the target both with and without the cooperation of the target, a control and assessment system for receiving and processing weapon and target status and position data, generating command signals to the weapon and for generating, displaying and assessing weapon effectiveness data and a data communication system for maintaining communications between and among the weapon platform, the target and the test control assessment system.

Claims

1. A system for testing weapons in space comprising:

a weapons platform, including

means for carrying a space weapon, and

housekeepiing subsystems, including

a propulsion subsystem to control the orientation of the platform relative to the target,

a support power subsystem to power the weapon to be tested,

a communication subsystem to report back platform subsystem status and to process received information,

a command subsystem to provide commands for the weapons platform to cooperate with the target, and

a positioning/pointing subsystem to determine the platform'"'"'s attitude;

a target, including

means for positioning said target in space remote from said weapons platform,

damage assessment sensors to measure the effectiveness of the test being performed,

means for communicating

damage assessment data, and

selectably, target position data, and

positioning/pointing means to determine the attitude and pointing of the targets;

a weapon/target position determination system, including means, in a first mode of operation, for determining the positions of said weapons platform and said target using target position data supplied by said target communcations system and, in a second mode of operation, for determining said weapons platform and target positions independently of said supplied target position data;

a test control/assessment system including

means for processing weapon status data, target status data and weapon/target position data,

means for generating command signals including position, pointing, energy and timing signals,

means for generating weapon-effectiveness data and for displaying and assessing such data; and

a data communication system, including

means for receiving data transmitted by said weapons platform and target communcations substystems and relaying said data to said test control/assessment system, and

means for receiving command signals from said test control/assessment system and relaying said commands to said weapons platform.