MISSILE DEFENSE
A robust missile defense architecture is vital in the effort to shield the United States against the threat of ballistic missiles. Since its founding in 2008, ExoAnalytic Solutions has been committed to developing technologies for the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to enable such an architecture. Specifically, we develop software algorithms to provide target detection, tracking, characterization, and discrimination using data from radar and optical sensors.
FOCAL PLANE PROCESSING
ExoAnalytic Solutions is a world leader in algorithm development for processing real-time images from visible and infrared CCD cameras. Our algorithms provide end-to-end processing of raw frames, yielding positional and brightness data for objects in the scene while filtering out unwanted observations from stars, debris, clouds, etc. This filtering enables our advanced processing algorithms to estimate object positions with sub-pixel precision.
TRACKING AND PREDICTION
The MDA’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) requires algorithms which convert target detections from radar and optical sensors into orbit tracks. This allows the BMDS to predict where targets will be in the future and enables downstream discrimination algorithms to determine which of the tracked objects need to be intercepted. ExoAnalytic Solutions helps to provide this critical capability by developing the algorithms which create integrated system tracks.
CHARACTERIZATION AND DISCRIMINATION
During a missile defense engagement, most tracked objects are non-threatening (e.g. debris, fuel tanks, hardware, etc.) and should be treated differently than hostile objects. ExoAnalytic Solutions develops advanced algorithms which rapidly and autonomously determine the nature of each object and decide which object(s) to intercept. This process, called discrimination, is perhaps the most critical function of the BMDS aside from tracking.
C2BMC
The BMDS is centrally controlled from the Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) element, which is responsible for tasking sensors, synchronizing data, allocating weapons, and optimizing the response to threats. ExoAnalytic Solutions develops algorithms for the C2BMC which perform sensor and weapon allocation, deliver integrated data fusion for system tracking and discrimination, and enable handover of the information to the interceptor.
MODELING AND SIMULATION
ExoAnalytic Solutions creates models and simulated data sets for the development and testing of new missile defense technologies. These simulations employ detailed physics models of all aspects of a missile defense scenario, including trajectories, target and sensor models, and environmental factors. Our simulations utilize both government-developed codes (e.g. OSC, Optisig, APSM, and Debrisim) and in-house code (e.g. Exo6Sim, ExoRFSim, CloudSim, SysTRAAK, and SEAS). People often mistake our sensor simulations for real-world flight test data.
