The Army GPS Truth Data Acquisition, Recording, and Display System (TDARDS) at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR)

The Army GPS Truth Data Acquisition, Recording, and Display System (TDARDS) at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) is a compact, lightweight, low-cost, and easily transportable or mobile GPS-based tracking system that uses up-to-date GPS, radio datalink, and computer technology to provide highly accurate, real-time time-space position information (TSPI) on up to ten test objects, such as ground vehicles, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft. The system is highly modular, built with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, and easily modifiable to meet any special needs of individual testing and tracking applications. The paper (1) describes the system architecture and components of TDARDS and how system capabilities mesh with and enhance other test and evaluation (T&E) capabilities at WSMR, (2) discusses compatibility and expandability with Range Applications Joint Program Office (RAJPO)-developed equipment-especially the coarse acquisition (C/A) code receiver (CACR)-and (3) presents a few representative system and laboratory test results