Initial flight tests of UAT ADS-B unit for suborbital reusable launch vehicles

To support the periodic launch and recovery of sub-orbital reusable launch vehicles (sRLV), some sterilization of airspace surrounding the launch and recovery sites is required to ensure safe ascent and descent through the national airspace system. To reduce the necessary airspace to restrict, tracking technologies such as ADS-B can be employed. The MITRE Corporation has developed the UAT Beacon Radio - Transmit Only (UBR-TX) as a miniaturized ADS-B unit, which was initially intended for unmanned aircraft and General Aviation aircraft. This paper presents the adaptation of the MITRE technology into the UBR-ERAU, a position broadcasting technology capable of operating during sub-orbital space flight. This paper begins with a discussion of some background on the UBR payloads and their flight history. Next, the requirements and goals of the system´s upgrades will be discussed followed by the detailed discussion of key system upgrades including GPS selection, software adaptations, and custom hardware. The experimental design and results of evaluating the new prototype is discussed including a detailed discussion of initial high altitude balloon flights. Finally, the paper discusses future plans for the UBR-ERAU payload as its evaluation transitions from balloons to sRLVs.