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Time-Tag Generation ScriptTime-Tag Generation Script (TTaGS) is an application program, written in the AWK scripting language, for generating commands for aiming one Ku-band antenna and two S-band antennas for communicating with spacecraft. TTaGS saves between 2 and 4 person-hours per every 24 hours by automating the repetitious process of building between 150 and 180 antenna-control commands. TTaGS reads a text database of communication satellite schedules and a text database of satellite rise and set times and cross-references items in the two databases. It then compares the scheduled start and stop with the geometric rise and set to compute the times to execute antenna control commands. While so doing, TTaGS determines whether to generate commands for guidance, navigation, and control computers to tell them which satellites to track. To help prevent Ku-band irradiation of the Earth, TTaGS accepts input from the user about horizon tolerance and accordingly restricts activation and effects deactivation of the transmitter. TTaGS can be modified easily to enable tracking of additional satellites and for such other tasks as reading Sun-rise/set tables to generate commands to point the solar photovoltaic arrays of the International Space Station at the Sun.
Document ID
20100009700
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Other - NASA Tech Brief
Authors
Jackson, Dan E.
(Barrios Technology, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 2010
Publication Information
Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, March 2010
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
MSC-23588-1
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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