Orbit Logic's CPAW workstations generate imagery collection plans for modeled satellites. The software incorporates satellite slew, scan, camera, consumable resources (e.g. solid-state recorders, power generation and storage, etc), and constraint models to provide a high-fidelity planning capability. Plans may be generated manually through user-friendly GUIs or automatically by using provided planning algorithms that optimize plans based on a comon user-configurable Figure-of-Merit.
CPS software design is user-friendly and efficient to operate while at the same time providing highly accurate and configurable system modeling. The software provides the GUIs, map displays, and computational support necessary for an operator to efficiently generate collection plans within satellite system capabilities.
Key Features
User-friendly GUI and process flow for manual planning
Orbit Logic has designed CPAW to efficiently and effectively allow a user to plan acquisition of imagery for collection pass. Collection targets can be requested, locked in the plan, and deferred to a later planning window. Any time a user-specified target violates a spacecraft or target access constraint, the GUI will indicate a constraint violation. The GUI incorporates automated algorithms for faster planning performance.
High-fidelity satellite models and weather processing
Collection planning is enabled by a set of high-fidelity models that simulate and predict the physical environment, spacecraft subsystems, targets, and ground stations. CPAW also can apply cloud forecast data from the Air Force Weather Agency, MDA Federal (or other sources) to the collection planning process to increase the quality of returned images. With accurate vendor-provided models and frequent weather updates, CPAW generates effective collection plans which maximize the quantity and quality of imagery. Deployed operational systems and the quality of collected imagery confirm the accuracy and effectiveness of CPAW modeling.
Multiple planning algorithms / common Figure-of-Merit
CPAW’s mutiple planning algorithms are designed to ensure that auto-generated plans are free from constraint violations. The operator may choose which algorithm to run, or select multiple algorithms to compete against each other. Different algorithms use different approaches, but all attempt to optimize the collection solution based on a common and configurable Figure-of-Merit (FOM) which scores the quality of the plans. FOM factors include product order priority, cloud forecast, product order expiration date, and others.
Scalable for maximum performance and automation
Highly agile satellites require collection planning that must complete a massive number of computations in a matter of minutes. The sheer volume of orders and collection possibilities for spacecraft operators and large regional users necessitates that the nominal planning process be fully automated to maximize performance. To address this challenge, Orbit Logic has implemented a manager/workstation architecture. This approach incorporates a central orchestration system, the Collection Planning Manager, to manage multiple instances of CPAW for increased computational performance and lights-out operation.
STK display for visual planning and plan visualization
CPAW uses both Satellite Tool Kit and Google Earth Pro as its engine for visualizing a completed collection plan. CPAW also uses STK and Google Earth Pro to provide user-friendly and map-interactive ad-hoc target definition for specific locations or areas of interest. The 2D and 3D maps and animation communicate the planning results in an intuitive fashion understandable by operator and manager alike.
