Method and articles of manufacture for time-space-position-information (TSPI)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium in a ground-based station having stored thereon a plurality of computer executable instructions for determining time-space-position-information (TSPI) for at least one air-based platform in a GPS-denied environment, that when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

• remotely control and monitor a TSPI collection system from a control and monitoring station, wherein said TSPI collection system has at least one air-based component and a plurality of ground-based components, wherein said at least one air-based component and said plurality of ground-based components are deployed based on a planned flight test, said at least one air-based component, comprising:
• 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;
• geolocate said on-board transmitter using emitter signal geolocating techniques;
• reconfigure said air and ground-based components when a configuration fault has been diagnosed;
• continue to monitor and control said air and ground-based components until said flight test is complete;
• and
• collect said time-space-position-information for said air-based components when said flight test is complete.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium in a ground-based station having stored thereon a plurality of computer executable instructions for determining time-space-position-information (TSPI) for at least one air-based platform, that when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

• (a) perform initialization tasks for a system having components configured to collect time-space-position-information (TSPI) from a flight test, 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, wherein said at least one air-based platform is deployed;
• a plurality of ground-based components in communication with said at least one air-based platform, wherein said plurality of ground-based components are deployed based on flight test planning by a system user, wherein said plurality of ground-based components are self-surveyed to geolocate each of said plurality of ground-based components:
• said initialization tasks, comprising:
• determining whether said flight test is a GPS-denied test;
• when said flight test is a GPS-denied test, remotely initialize and configure said system to operate without GPS;
• and
• when said flight test is not a GPS-denied test, remotely initialize and configure said system to operate using GPS;
• (b) remotely monitor said system to determine system diagnostics, said system diagnostics indicating system health;
• when it is determined that said system is not functioning properly, diagnosing a system problem;
• fix said system problem by remote reconfiguration or when said system problem cannot be fixed by remote reconfiguration, alert a processing station that manual repair is required, and iterate through task (b) until said system is functioning properly;
• (c) collect TSPI data when said system is determined to be functioning properly;
• (d) send said TSPI data to said processing station;
• (e) process said TSPI data and geolocate said on-board transmitter using emitter signal geolocating techniques, said emitter signal geolocating techniques selected from time of arrival (TOA), frequency of arrival (FOA), time difference of arrival (TDOA), and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA);
• (f) determine whether said flight test is complete;
• when it is determined that said flight test is not complete, iterate through tasks (b) through (f), until it is determined that said flight test is complete;
• (g) collect said system components and said TSPI data;
• and
• (h) output said TSPI data in a tangible medium.