System and method for time-space-position-information (TSPI)

A method to provide time-space-position-information for at least one air-based platform in a GPS-denied environment, comprising:

• providing a system to collect time-space-position-information (TSPI), said system having at least one air-based component comprising at least one air-based platform, said at least one air-based platform having an on-board navigation system including a dedicated on-board transmitter, and a dedicated on-board receiver, wherein said on-board navigation system is configured for computing time-space-position-information (TSPI) and providing a wireless data link between said air-based platform and the ground, wherein said dedicated on-board transmitter and said dedicated on-board receiver are configured for transmitting and receiving signals with navigation information, control commands, and messages through said wireless data link with a dedicated on-board transmitter;
• a plurality of ground-based components in communication with said at least one air-based component:
• planning a flight test and deploying said at least one air-based component and said plurality of ground-based components;
• remotely controlling and monitoring said air and ground-based components from a control and monitoring station;
• geolocating said on-board transmitter using emitter signal geolocating techniques;
• reconfiguring said air and ground-based components when a configuration fault has been diagnosed;
• continuing to monitor and control said air and ground-based components until said flight test is complete;
• and
• when said flight test is complete, collecting said time-space-position-information for said air-based components.

A method to obtain time-space-position-information for at least one air-based platform, comprising:

• (a) providing a system having components to collect time-space-position-information (TSPI), said system components, comprising:
• at least one air-based platform having an on-board navigation system, a dedicated on-board transmitter, and a dedicated on-board receiver, wherein said on-board navigation system is configured for computing time-space-position-information (TSPI) and providing a wireless data link between said air-based platform and the ground, wherein said dedicated on-board transmitter and said dedicated on-board receiver are configured for transmitting and receiving signals with navigation information, control commands, and messages through said wireless data link, wherein said at least one air-based platform is selected from the group of air-based platforms consisting of air vehicles, rockets, launch vehicles, aerostats, space vehicles, and precision guided munitions;
• and
• a plurality of ground-based components in communication with said at least air-based platform;
• (b) initializing said system for a flight test, said initializing task, comprising:
• determining whether said flight test is a GPS-denied test:
• when said flight test is a GPS-denied test, remotely initializing and configuring said system to operate without GPS;
• and
• when said flight test is not a GPS-denied test, remotely initializing and configuring said system to operate using GPS;
• (c) starting said flight test;
• (d) remotely monitoring said system to determine system diagnostics, said system diagnostics indicating system health;
• when it is determined that said system is not functioning properly, diagnosing system problem;
• fixing system problem by remote reconfiguration or manual repair and iterating through task (d) until said system is functioning properly;
• (e) collecting TSPI data when said system is determined to be functioning properly;
• (f) sending TSPI data to processing station;
• (g) processing said TSPI data by geolocating said on-board transmitter using emitter signal geolocating techniques, wherein when said flight test is a GPS-denied test, said emitter signal geolocating techniques are selected from time of arrival (TOA) and frequency of arrival (FOA), or time difference of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA);
• (h) determining whether said flight test is complete;
• when it is determined that said flight test is not complete, iterating through tasks (d) through (h), until it is determined that said flight test is complete;
• (i) collecting said system components and said TSPI data;
• and
• (j) outputting said TSPI data in a tangible medium.