The program plan for the five phases of the WSCE is outlined below:

Phase 1: Concept development to the Preliminary Design Review milestone.  Full details are in the Statement of Work. 

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However, in outline form the plan is:

a) Extensive literature review of V/W-band propagation studies.

b) Careful review and comparison of existing propagation models.
 

c) Critical review of channel models and their relative merits.
 

d) Review of existing antenna technology and it applicability to WSCE.
 

e) Review and evaluate existing antenna models.
 

f) Survey modulation and coding techniques that might be used.
 

g) Review models of these modeling and coding techniques.
 

h) Review literature on pulse shaping (for both beacon and communication).
 

i) Outline what diversity and adaptive control techniques the experiment can include for fade mitigation.
 

j) Examine options for off-the-shelf flight hardware.
 

k) Detail what flight hardware has to be custom designed.  The intent is to have hardware that can accommodate a

variety of modulation and coding schemes.
 

l) Outline test plan and simulation requirements for hardware.
 

m) Specify requirements for radiometers to accompany ground units.
 

n) Prepare data collection and experiment plan (see SOW for deliverables).
 

o) Prepare a full cost estimate of Phase 2; and a firmer cost assessment of Phases 3 – 5.
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Phase 2: System design development to the Critical Design Review milestone; will include laboratory demonstrations for concept/design validation. 

The physical layer propagation models, channel models and antenna models selected in Phase I will be customized to work together and meet the requirements of the experiment plan.

Laboratory systems will validate the integration of the key selections made in Phase I: coding and modulation scheme, hardware performance and redundancy, antenna technology used, and pulse shape selected.   A system architecture that incorporates all fade management techniques (FMT) in the experimental program is finalized.



Phase 3: Development and delivery of the engineering demonstration unit, the flight-ready system, and ground data collection systems.

Ground data collection systems that include radiometer and meteorological station will be deployed.  The engineering demonstration unit/flight-ready system will communicate with them from a High Altitude Platform (HAP) operating in the stratosphere.  All simulation models will be validated.

Data collection and analysis will commence.  Channel characterization by beacon and the different modes of the communication experiment will be conducted in parallel.  Clear sky baselines and a variety of deep fade conditions will be catalogued and assessed.  All aspects of the experiment plan will be exercised.  A full Test Plan for the flight hardware will be published.



Phase 4: Pre-launch assemble, integration, and test support of the flight hardware.

All flight hardware will undergo rigorous testing according the plan developed in Phase 3.  An outside agency will certify flight worthiness of the package.



Phase 5: On-orbit experiment support.

Multiple transceiver stations in a variety of climates will be in operation – allowing a full complement of channel characterizations and diversity experiments.  Collected data will be archived and analyzed.  Propagation and channel models will be validated or modified as necessary.  Communication experiments will examine a variety of coding, modulation, adaptation and diversity regimens.



Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) of schedule and cost for the overall program.