Complex Terminal Systems Design: Minimizing Time to Deployment

The Government Reference Architecture (GRA) was initiated in response to unique requirements of above 2 GHz Satellite Communications (SATCOM) systems not effectively addressed by the Software Communications Architecture (SCA). Fundamental objectives of the GRA effort were to, 1) develop a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) approach that promotes well-defined module decomposition and use of COTS, 2) define a reference model of the terminal architecture using standard modeling languages and tools, and 3) address system-level architecture aspects of the SATCOM domain not effectively specified by the SCA. A key objective was to maximize the use of available systems design tools and languages thereby decreasing the lead time required to initiate SATCOM projects. This paper presents benefits and drawbacks of COTS system design tools and languages for the SATCOM domain. The paper will also present the results of early prototypes developed to validate specific aspects of the GRA and the development tools output with analysis of specific areas of the validation prototype.