Technology games/battlefield 2000

The pervasive impact of power generation on electronic battlefield technologies and the critical need for compact, highly efficient power sources are discussed. Areas that require new and innovative solutions are prime power, batteries, capacitors, switches, and pulser integration. It is concluded that orders of magnitude improvements are needed; technical barriers exist that require invention; power technology needs to be given a high priority in the tech base strategy; and resources must be rejuvenated and expanded to accomplish the required objectives     

Data link communication equipment approved by USAF for civil air traffic control

Operations within civil airspace will transition from traditional ground-based air traffic control (ATC) to air traffic management (ATM), a concept that requires aircrews and ground managers to share responsibility of aircraft separation assurance. Increased levels of information exchange will be necessary for this concept to work safely; therefore, air-ground communications will transition from voice to data link communications. The nature of data link communications procurement requires that avionics suppliers not only verify their products meet contractual performance requirements, but also demonstrate that their products are compatible with civil communication networks and ATC. In addition, the USAF needs to demonstrate that their crew-training program is adequate to maintain the required level of aircrew proficiency and equipment can be maintained for the required level of system performance, integrity, and interoperability with the civil environment. This paper outlines some of the certification issues facing the USAF with respect to the "Approval for Use" of data link equipment to be used for communication with ATC. It will also suggest a methodology for the avionics supplier and USAF to obtain the approvals required to ensure the installation of data link communications equipment on military aircraft will remain interoperable with civil ATC.     

The Mars Odyssey Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Instrument Suite

The Mars Odyssey Gamma-Ray Spectrometer is a suite of three different instruments, a gamma subsystem (GS), a neutron spectrometer, and a high-energy neutron detector, working together to collect data that will permit the mapping of elemental concentrations on the surface of Mars. The instruments are complimentary in that the neutron instruments have greater sensitivity to low amounts of hydrogen, but their signals saturate as the hydrogen content gets high. The hydrogen signal in the GS, on the other hand, does not saturate at high hydrogen contents and is sensitive to small differences in hydrogen content even when hydrogen is very abundant. The hydrogen signal in the neutron instruments and the GS have a different dependence on depth, and thus by combining both data sets we can infer not only the amount of hydrogen, but constrain its distribution with depth. In addition to hydrogen, the GS determines the abundances of several other elements. The instruments, the basis of the technique, and the data processing requirements are described as are some expected applications of the data to scientific problems.