System and method for detection of anti-satellite vulnerability of an orbiting platform

1. A vulnerability assessment apparatus comprising:

an engagement volume processing unit, wherein the engagement volume processing unit comprises a first processor and wherein the first processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the engagement volume processing unit to perform operations comprising:

receiving a maximum impulse velocity of a space-based interceptor (SBI) launched from a carrier platform of interest;

receiving a maximum time of flight (TOF) until intercept;

receiving orbital data of a carrier platform of interest;

determining a family of interceptor imparted velocities in a Velocity-Normal-Co-normal (VNC) frame; and

applying the family of velocities over “N” release points using a carrier platform propagator to determine an engagement volume;

a display and alert processing unit, wherein the display and alert processing unit comprises a second processor and wherein the second processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the display and alert processing unit to perform operations comprising:

generating a visual representation of the engagement volume; and

sending the visual representation to the display device for display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second processor is further configured with software executable instructions to cause the display and alert processing unit to perform the operation of:

receiving orbital data of a targeted orbiting platform;

generating a visual representation of the orbital data of the targeted orbital platform relative to the engagement volume; and

sending the visual representation of the orbital data of the targeted orbital platform to the display device for display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a vulnerability processing unit, wherein the vulnerability processing unit comprises a third processor and wherein the third processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the vulnerability processing unit to perform operations comprising:

receiving the engagement volume from the engagement volume processing unit;

receiving orbital data of a targeted orbiting platform;

receiving a time interval of interest; and

wherein the second processor is further configured with software executable instructions to cause the display and alert processing unit to perform operations comprising:

receiving the launch vulnerability timelines from the vulnerability processing unit;

determining launch vulnerability timelines from the engagement volume, the targeted orbital platform orbital data and the time interval of interest using a targeted platform propagator; and

determining whether the targeted platform is in the engagement volume; and

issuing an alert when the targeted platform is in the engagement volume.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the instruction for issuing an alert comprises an instruction for issuing an alert using at least one media selected from the group consisting of a visual alert, a text alert and an audio alert.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the engagement volume is selected from the group consisting of a convex hull and a minimum volume enclosing ellipsoid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operation of applying the family of velocities over “N” release points using a carrier platform propagator to determine an engagement volume comprises performing operations for each of the “N” release points comprising:

determining a rotation matrix rot ECI2VNC (initial) for the carrier platform of interest;

rotating a carrier platform initial position and velocity to a VNC frame;

propagating the carrier platform of interest using the carrier platform propagator over the maximum TOF;

computing a rotation matrix rot ECI2VNC (final) for the carrier platform of interest, where the notation “EcI2VNC” indicates the transformation from the Earth Centered Inertial frame to Velocity-Normal-Co-Normal frame;

for each possible velocity combination imparted to the SBI:

adding the possible imparted velocity combination to the carrier platform's initial VNC velocity;

propagating the SBI using the carrier platform propagator;

selecting points for visualization;

rotating the selected points to a final VNC frame using a rot ECI2VNC (final) matrix; and

storing the rotated selected points as engagement volume data; and

propagating the carrier platform forward by 1/N of an orbital period of the carrier platform of interest.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein possible velocity combinations imparted to the SBI comprise:

ΔV 1 =(V plus N plus C plus ) T

ΔV 2 =(V plus N plus 0) T

ΔV 3 =(V plus N plus C minus ) T

ΔV 4 =(V plus 0 C plus ) T

ΔV 5 =(V plus 0 0) T

ΔV 6 =(V plus 0 C minus ) T

ΔV 7 =(V p1us N minus C p1us ) T

ΔV 8 =(V p1us N minus 0) T

ΔV 9 =(V plus N minus C minus ) T

ΔV 10 =(0 N p1us C plus ) T

ΔV 11 =(0 N plus 0) T

ΔV 12 =(0 N plus C minus ) T

ΔV 13 =(0 0 C plus ) T

ΔV 14 =(0 0 0) T

ΔV 15 =(0 0 C minus ) T

ΔV 16 =(0 N minus C plus ) T

ΔV 17 =(0 N minus 0) T

ΔV 18 =(0 N minus C minus ) T

ΔV 19 =(V minus N plus C plus ) T

ΔV 20 =(V minus N plus 0) T

ΔV 21 =(V minus N plus C minus ) T

ΔV 22 =(V minus 0 C plus ) T

ΔV 23 =(V minus 0 0) T

ΔV 24 =(V minus 0 C minus ) T

ΔV 25 =(V minus N minus C plus ) T

ΔV 26 =(V minus N minus 0) T

ΔV 27 =(V minus N minus C minus ) T .

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first release point is at perigee and “N” is selected to include an apogee release point.

9. A method for determining the vulnerability of a targeted platform to a space based interceptor (SBI) comprising:

an engagement volume processing unit receiving a maximum impulse velocity of a space-based interceptor (SBI) launched from a carrier platform of interest;

the engagement volume processing unit receiving a maximum time of flight (TOF) until intercept;

the engagement volume processing unit receiving orbital data of the carrier platform of interest;

the engagement volume processing unit determining a family of interceptor imparted velocities in a Velocity-Normal-Co-normal (VNC) frame; and

the engagement volume processing unit applying the family of velocities over “N” release points using a carrier platform propagator to determine an engagement volume;

a display and alert processing unit generating a visual representation of the engagement volume; and

the display and alert processing unit sending the visual representation to the display device for display.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the display and alert processor receiving orbital data of a targeted orbiting platform;

the display and alert processor generating a visual representation of the orbital data of the targeted orbital platform relative to the engagement volume; and

the display and alert processor sending the visual representation of the orbital data of the targeted orbital platform to the display device for display.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

a vulnerability processing unit receiving the engagement volume from the engagement volume processing unit;

the vulnerability processing unit receiving orbital data of a targeted orbiting platform;

the vulnerability processing unit receiving a time interval of interest;

the display and alert processing unit receiving the launch vulnerability timelines from the vulnerability processing unit;

determining launch vulnerability timelines from the engagement volume, the targeted orbital platform orbital data and the time interval of interest using a targeted platform propagator;

determining whether the targeted platform is in the engagement volume; and

issuing an alert when the targeted platform is in the engagement volume.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein issuing an alert when the targeted platform is in the engagement volume comprises issuing an alert using at least one media selected from the group consisting of a visual alert, a text alert and an audio alert.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the engagement volume is selected from the group consisting of a convex hull and a minimum volume enclosing ellipsoid.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein applying by the engagement volume processing unit the family of velocities over “N” release points using a carrier platform propagator to determine an engagement volume comprises:

the engagement volume processing unit applying the family of velocities over “N” release points using a carrier platform propagator to determine an engagement volume;

the engagement volume processing unit, for each of the “N” release points:

determining a rotation matrix rot ECl2VNC (initial) for the carrier platform of interest;

rotating a carrier platform initial position and velocity to a VNC frame;

propagating the carrier platform of interest using the carrier platform propagator over the maximum TOF;

computing a rotation matrix rot ECl2VNC (final) for the carrier platform of interest;

for each possible velocity combination imparted to the SBI:

adding the possible imparted velocity combination to carrier platform's initial VNC velocity;

propagating the SBI using the carrier platform propagator;

selecting points for visualization;

rotating the selected points to a final VNC frame using a rot ECI2VNC (final) matrix; and

storing the rotated selected points as engagement volume data; and

propagating the carrier platform forward by 1/N of an orbital period of the carrier platform of interest.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein possible velocity combinations imparted to the SBI comprise:

ΔV 1 =(V plus N plus C plus ) T

ΔV 2 =(V plus N plus 0) T

ΔV 3 =(V plus N plus C minus ) T

ΔV 4 =(V plus 0 C plus ) T

ΔV 5 =(V plus 0 0) T

ΔV 6 =(V plus 0 C minus ) T

ΔV 7 =(V plus N minus C plus ) T

ΔV 8 =(V plus N minus 0) T

ΔV 9 =(V plus N minus C minus ) T

ΔV 10 =(0 N plus C plus ) T

ΔV 11 =(0 N plus 0) T

ΔV 12 =(0 N plus C minus ) T

ΔV 13 =(0 0 C plus ) T

ΔV 14 =(0 0 0) T

ΔV 15 =(0 0 C minus ) T

ΔV 16 =(0 N minus C plus ) T

ΔV 17 =(0 N minus 0) T

ΔV 18 =(0 N minus C minus ) T

ΔV 19 =(V minus N plus C plus ) T

ΔV 20 =(V minus N plus 0) T

ΔV 21 =(V minus N plus C minus ) T

ΔV 22 =(V minus 0 C plus ) T

ΔV 23 =(V minus 0 0) T

ΔV 24 =(V minus 0 C minus ) T

ΔV 25 =(V minus N minus C plus ) T

ΔV 26 =(V minus N minus 0) T

ΔV 27 =(V minus N minus C minus ) T .

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a first release point is at perigee and “N” is selected to include an apogee release point.