FPQ-6 Tracking and Ranging

Tracking techniques

All tracking systems go through four phases of activity for each track - pre-pass checks, acquisition of spacecraft (or satellite), tracking data output, and post-pass checks – except that for a precision radar, such as the FPQ-6, there are additional refinements.

Pre-pass checks

In addition to the usual slew tests and collimation tower tests of reflector and transponder tests, Q6 recorded the local temperature, humidity and pressure for entry into the RCA computer to compensate for the atmospheric effect on the speed of radio waves and the calculation of range.

Acquisition

Usually, the Q6 antenna was controlled by the data processor from pre-programmed orbital parameters which provided antenna pointing angles and a ranging distance. If no clear radar signal was received, the console technician would modify the pre-programmed tracking path by choosing an antenna angle scan (usually an 8 mil diameter circle) and a range search (usually pm 10,000 yards either side of the predicted range) or through the station ‘acquisition bus’ by slaving to a station antenna which had already locked onto the spacecraft.

Part of the skill of acquisition required the patience of the technician to allow the spacecraft to move ‘through’ the antenna side lobe into the main signal lobe before locking onto the spacecraft.

Tracking data output

Once the spacecraft had been acquired, the RCA computer proceeded to update its orbital parameters to provide more accurate orbital data to down range radars and to the data processor should a premature loss of signal (LOS) occur and re-acquisition became necessary. Meanwhile high speed tracking data (10 sets/sec) was recorded on magnetic data and low speed tracking data (1 set/sec) was dispatched by teletype to the tracking network.

Post-pass checks

After LOS a final collimation tower check was made and the local atmospheric data was again recorded to enable possible further adjustments to the tracking data recorded and to the orbital parameters.

Following one early Apollo mission the network queried a range tracking difference of *** metres between the Carnarvon FPQ-6 radar and the Unified S-Band ranging systems. Local static and dynamic testing revealed insignificant differences. Finally the station suggested that the network had applied the Q6 atmospheric adjustment at the network end as well as its automatic inclusion at Carnarvon. The station heard no more about the ‘error’. Apparently earlier Mercury and Gemini tracking procedures had not been updated.

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Ranging

Angles

Side lobe detection

Computer assistance

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