Back to Company SearchSBIR-STTR-Success: Welkin Sciences LLC
When a nuclear device is detonated at a high altitude, massive distortion can be imparted on RF upli...
Company
Portfolio Data
WELKIN SCIENCES, LLC
UEI: UMMSV9GTE5K1
Number of Employees: 11
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
SBIR/STTR Involvement
Year of first award: 2004
20
Phase I Awards
17
Phase II Awards
85%
Conversion Rate
$2,188,215
Phase I Dollars
$16,659,536
Phase II Dollars
$18,847,752
Total Awarded
Success Stories
See what our company has achieved through SBIR/STTR funding.
Awards
Nuclear Scintillation Mitigation by Matched Channel Filtering
Amount: $1,099,801 Topic: DTRA202-005
Welkin Sciences proposes investigating scintillation-hardening techniques applicable to DoD's strategic communication systems, focusing on hardening specific SATCOM links within the Ballistic Missile Defense System Communications Network that are of particular interest to DTRA and its customer, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). These new scintillation-hardening techniques are based on computationally-intensive signal processing methods that have only become practicable with recent advancements in digital processing technology. Some techniques require the scintillation-hardened link to employ multiple widely-spaced ground antennae connected to the ground transceiver using low-latency data links. MDA has specifically requested that this research program investigate how the Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) specification might be modified to better support scintillation-hardening techniques. The investigations will employ high-fidelity computer link simulations utilizing several DTRA codes that characterize and emulate RF signal scintillation caused by high-altitude nuclear weapon detonations. Since DTRA and MDA are also concerned about electronic counter-measures (ECM), the computer link simulations will also include emulations of the jamming techniques that adversaries are expected to employ against MDA's SATCOM links. This simulation-aided link analysis and design project anticipates a future research project for development of testable hardware prototypes of the most promising scintillation-hardened communication system designs emerging from this research.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2022
DOW
DTRA
Nuclear Scintillation Mitigation by Matched Channel Filtering
Amount: $167,483 Topic: DTRA202-005
Welkin Sciences proposes to develop a comprehensive capability to formulate, analyze, simulate, prototype, and test scintillation-hardened receiver designs, including those enabled with built-in Matched Channel Filter (MCF) functionality. During Phase I, several MCF design architectures will be analyzed using CommLink, our high-fidelity computer simulation framework. Emulation of the type of down-links used by the Iridium user network will be implemented in the CommLink code. These are of particular interest because they employ differentially-encoded PSK modulation, thereby allowing an MCF to be adapted using blind equalization (without the need for training sequences). MCF-enabled Iridium down-links will be included in the CommLink-aided analyses. The various MCF designs will be compared on the basis of mitigation effectiveness and implementation complexity. We anticipate that many (if not all) of the analytical issues addressed in the solicitation will be resolved during Phase I. The full capability will be developed and delivered at the end of Phase II, including a further upgraded version of the CommLink code supporting simulation-aided analysis of a much wider range of mitigation techniques. Also, a hardware platform called the Scintillation-Hardened Prototype Terminal (SHaPT) will be developed and delivered. Like our CoLTS-AD platform, it will employ several high-speed processor boards interconnected by PCI Express (PCIe) 4.0 interfaces. These processor types will include one or two multi-core central processing units (CPUs), two or three data-center-class general-purpose graphical processing units (GPGPUs), and an RF System-on-Chip (RFSoC) board. SHaPT will support multiple RF input and output signal ports allowing the configuration of prototype terminals employing multiple antennae. Prototypes of communication terminals using Multiple-In/Multiple-Out (MIMO) techniques can be prototyped and tested in a laboratory setting. The RF output signal ports will be compatible with MIL-STD-188-164 so SHaPT can support over-the-air SATCOM testing.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2021
DOW
DTRA
Hardware-in-the-Loop Scintillation Simulator for MILSATCOM links in a Nuclear Disturbed Communication Environment
Amount: $999,875 Topic: DTRA172-006
Welkin Sciences proposes to design and build a new fading channel simulator to be called the All-Digital Configurable Link Test Set (CoLTS–AD). It will be capable of emulating the full range of MIL-STD-3053 scintillating channel conditions needed to test all of DoD’s strategic communication systems. CoLTS–AD will support developmental and acceptance testing of conventional communication systems with analog IF or RF signal ports, as well as future communication systems compliant with the new FAST OSDI (ANSI/TIA-5041) industry standard for digital-IF modems. Our proposed CoLTS-AD will be designed for both a low build cost, and low cost to certify: 1) it will be built on an inexpensive COTS hardware platform; and 2) will include built-in test functions that allow comprehensive certification testing procedures to be executed and tabulated automatically. Automated certification test execution and report generation can be performed after each simulator update or repair, simplifying configuration management and reducing life cycle costs.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2020
DOW
DTRA
Configurable Link Test Set (CoLTS) Jamming Capability
Amount: $1,000,000 Topic: MDA10-003
Under this Phase II SBIR effort Welkin Sciences will design and implement a Jammer Emulator hosted on the MDA sponsored CoLTS-LC hardware platform, originally built for nuclear-effects channel simulation.The Jammer Emulator will support emulation of a wide range of jamming methods, including frequency-following, which is not readily implemented using standard commercial test equipment.A remote interface will also be added to the CoLTS-LC hardware platform to support scripted control of the CoLTS-LC for jammer and channel simulation test applications from a test management computer.Approved for Public Release | 17-MDA-9395(24 Oct 17)
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2018
DOW
MDA
Hardware-in-the-Loop Scintillation Simulator for MILSATCOM links in a Nuclear Disturbed Communication Environment
Amount: $150,000 Topic: DTRA172-006
In response to SBIR Topic DTRA172-006, Welkin Sciences proposes to design and build a new all-digital fading channel simulator to be called CoLTSAD. This new simulator design will be the latest addition to our family of Configurable Link Test Sets (CoLTS). It will be capable of emulating the full range of MIL-STD-3053 scintillating channel conditions for all SATCOM frequency bands up to Ka-band. CoLTSAD will support developmental and acceptance testing of existing communication systems designs using separate analog interface units, and future communication systems compliant with the new FAST OSDI (ANSI/TIA-5041) industry standard for digital-IF modems without analog IF front ends.The CoLTS-AD will be low-cost to build, and low-cost to certify: 1) it will be built on an inexpensive COTS hardware platform; and 2) will include built-in test functions that allow comprehensive certification testing procedures to be executed and tabulated automatically. Automated certification test execution and report generation can be performed after each simulator update or repair, simplifying configuration management and reducing life cycle costs.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2018
DOW
DTRA
Real-Time Frequency-Selective Fading Channel Realization Generator
Amount: $994,951 Topic: DTRA122-020
During Phase I and a first Phase II, Welkin Sciences developed the Channel Realization Generator (CReG) algorithm, an enhanced functional replacement for the ACIRF code intended to be embedded into software link simulations and HWIL fading channel simulators. The proposed second Phase II effort will refine the CReG documentation and its software and firmware implementations. Many in the strategic communications test community have already recognized the significance and benefits of the CReG algorithm, as evidenced by the five strong support letters included in the proposal. In a higher sense, DTRAs modeling, analysis and test tools constitute the vehicle through which DTRA's decades of research in high-altitude phenomenology and RF propagation are delivered to scientists, contractors and testers. CReG represents a continuation of DTRAs long history of providing the strategic communications community with the tools they need to develop and test scintillation-hardened communications systems.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2018
DOW
DTRA
Reprogrammable Software Radio
Amount: $100,000 Topic: A16-078
The RaSoR supports various current and future missiles with a single, re-programmable software radio unit.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2017
DOW
ARMY
Software Based All Digital Wireless Modem
Amount: $99,978 Topic: A16-113
The fundamental technical objectives are to determine the feasibility of a software defined modem or all-digital modem (ADM) with streaming Digital-IF interface that may be ported to various hardware platforms meeting a set of basic standards. The effort will also focus on applications where Distributed Digital-IF can be used to combat the effects of transionopheric scintillation, occurring in either the natural ionosphere or a nuclear disturbed ionosphere.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2017
DOW
ARMY
Cognitive Airborne Communications with RF Interference Mitigation and Anti-jam Capabilities (RIMA)
Amount: $150,000 Topic: AF161-052
Welkin Sciences is proposing areal-time, fully adaptive mitigation approach to counter the effects of received interference and jamming on airborne communication links. The proposed approach, entitled ICeAIR (Independent of Component Analysis for Interference Removal), includes an adaptive method for separating the desired communication signal form sources of jamming and interference with no prior description of the jamming/interference sources.In addition, the proposed method includes detection and classification methods to aid in identifying and characterizing the threat signal source.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2016
DOW
USAF
Digital SATCOM Legacy Modem Data Converter
Amount: $750,000 Topic: AF131-050
ABSTRACT: Welkin Sciences proposes to develop, build, test, and demonstrate Legacy Modem Data Converters (LMDC) to enable the Department of Defenses (DoD) traditional L-band analog SATCOM modems to operate with future SATCOM terminals utilizing Digital IF architectures. The LMDC will be designed to be compliant with the Army Future Advanced SATCOM Terminal (FAST) Open Standard Digital Interface (OSDI) specification. BENEFIT: Implementation of the LMDC will allow the DoD continued use of their large inventory of legacy analog modems as Digital IF technology evolves and deploys in new SATCOM terminals throughout the world. The LMDC facilitates the DoDs transition to Digital IF technology while avoiding costly new equipment purchase and potential impacts to schedule due to new equipment deployment. Two primary reasons for integrating Digital IF technology into future SATCOM terminals are to improve fidelity for L-band signal transmission within the terminal and to allow more flexible signal switching and routing. Digital IF allows signal transport over long distances without loss of signal integrity as often happens with transmission of analog L-band signals. A recognized problem in existing terminals is the loss of signal fidelity when signals are transmitted over analog-fiber, a common means for signal transport over modest distances. The loss of fidelity over analog cabling is typically not critical for receive signals on the downlink, but can be an issue for transmit signals. When Digital IF is used for signal transport over digital optical fiber, loss of signal fidelity on inter-facility cables need no longer be a consideration for antenna placement. The Digital IF advantage even opens up the possibility of inter-terminal signal transport, over Defense Information Systems Network (DISN), which is currently not practical.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2014
DOW
USAF