Crosslink Winter 2001/2002 Contributors

A History of U.S. Military Satellite Communication Systems

Donald H. Martin, Senior Engineering Specialist, Architectures and Spectrum Management Office, has been with Aerospace more than 30 years. His primary work has focused on requirements definition and communications design for space-system architectures, communications technology development, and spectrum management. He has authored several books, the latest of which, Communication Satellites, Fourth Edition, was published in 2000. He received The Aerospace Corporation's President's Award in 1998. He holds an M.S. in engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (donald.h.martin@aero.org).

Spectrum Management

Albert Merrill, Senior Engineering Specialist, Architectures and Spectrum Management Office, has more than 32 years of experience in space communications. Since 1989, he has specialized in frequency management and spectrum-use planning. He helped initiate a methodology for applying frequency management to space technology and spearheaded a reallocation of spectrum from civil to military use. He was awarded Meritorious Unit Citations from the Director of Central Intelligence in 1996 and 2001 and received The Aerospace Corporation's President's Award in 1998. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California and has been with The Aerospace Corporation since 1967 (albert.w.merrill@aero.org). Marsha Weiskopf, Senior Project Leader, Wideband Systems Directorate, has more than 20 years of experience in communications payloads and systems engineering and has been working on spectrum management for the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office for seven years. She has supported many successful NTIA national allocations and ITU bilateral coordinations. She holds an M.S. in communication systems engineering from the University of Southern California. She joined Aerospace in 1993 (marsha.v.weiskopf@aero.org).

Bandwidth-Efficient Modulation

Diana M. Johnson, Director, Communication Systems Engineering Department, leads communication-systems engineering efforts involving architectures, payload design, waveform definition, secure and protected communications, digital signal processing, modulation and coding, mobile/personal communication systems, and networking. During her 12 years at Aerospace, she has worked with the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office on the Advanced EHF program and also served as Project Engineer supporting Milstar II. She holds an M.S. in electrical engineering from Stanford University (diana.m.johnson@aero.org). Tien M. Nguyen is Associate Director of the Communication Systems Engineering Department. His interests include advanced signal processing for wideband applications, modulation and coding, carrier and timing synchronization, detection theory, and radio-frequency interference analysis for wireless systems. He received a Ph.D. in engineering mathematics from the Claremont Graduate University (tien.m.nguyen@aero.org).

Forward Error-Correction Coding

Diana M. Johnson (see previous). Dean J. Sklar, Senior Member of the Technical Staff, Communication Systems Engineering Department, supports a variety of programs in the design and evaluation of modulation and channel-coding techniques, including high-rate turbo coding for wideband communications. He is also involved in the analysis and simulation of various bandwidth-efficient modulation formats. He has published several technical papers and has a patent pending in the area of turbo coding. He holds an M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California and has been with Aerospace since 1999 (dean.j.sklar@aero.org). Charles C. Wang manages the Analysis and Networking Section of the Communication Systems Engineering Department, leading the analytical work in modulation, coding, space-time diversity, and other advanced wireless communication technologies as well as system-architecture definition, network study, and protocol development. He has been studying turbo codes since he joined Aerospace in 1996. He has published 14 technical papers and has been granted three patents (with another four pending) in the area of turbo coding. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (charles.c.wang@aero.org).

Adaptive Nulling Antennas for Military Communications

Robert B. Dybdal, Senior Engineering Specialist, Electromagnetic Techniques Department, has participated in a wide variety of communications, radar, and remote-sensing activities. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University and has been with Aerospace since 1968 (robert.b.dybdal@aero.org). Don J. Hinshilwood, Engineering Specialist, Electromagnetic Techniques Department, has specialized in adaptive antennas for the last 10 years. He holds M.S. degrees in physics and astronomy from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has been with Aerospace since 1985 (don.j.hinshilwood@aero.org).

Communication Technologies for Remote Regions

Ronald G. Nishinaga, Principal Director of the Air Force Satellite Control Network Directorate, has 30 years of experience developing command, control, communications, and information systems for space. He received The Aerospace Corporation's Program of the Year award in 1994 for his organization's work on the Consolidated Space Operations Center. He received a Ph.D. in space systems engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (ronald.g.nishinaga@aero.org). Leonard L. Domenic works in the Ground Systems Applications Office, Space Support Division, supporting the Spacelift Range Modernization program. He served as manager for the Federal Interagency Communications Center (FICC) Improvement project throughout the design and development phase and into the fielding of the first mobile elements. He holds an M.S. in engineering from George Washington University. He joined Aerospace in 1999 (leonard.l.domenic@aero.org). Winfred L. Battig, Senior Project Engineer and current manager of the FICC Improvement project, divides his time between new business and the Air Force Satellite Control Network and Spacelift Range programs. He holds an M.S. in systems engineering from West Coast University and joined Aerospace in 2000 (winfred.l.battig@aero.org).

The Challenge of Shared Military Communications

Mak King joined Aerospace in 1976 in the Communications Systems Subdivision of the Engineering Technology Group. He has participated in a wide variety of communications-related projects and programs. He transferred to the Milstar Program Office in 1990 as Senior Project Engineer and became the first director of the newly formed Advanced Programs Directorate of the Milsatcom Division in 1991. He was named Distinguished Engineer in 2000. He holds a Ph.D. in communications and information theory from the University of California, Los Angeles (maurice.a.king@aero.org). Malina M. Hills, Director, International Space Technology Department, Project West Wing, leads studies of foreign satellite technology and makes regulatory and technology-transfer recommendations to U.S. government policymakers. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the California Institute of Technology. She has been with Aerospace since 1987 (malina.m.hills@aero.org).

Future U.S. Military Satellite Communication Systems

Glen Elfers, Senior Project Engineer in Advanced Programs, MILSATCOM Division, is engaged in new program initiatives and communications architecture development in support of the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office. Previous Aerospace assignments have included communications architecture development in support of two intelligence organizations and the National Security Space Architect. He was a member of the foundational teams defining architectures for the Global Broadcast Service, Integrated Broadcast Service, and Mission Information Management Communications. He holds an M.S. and Degree of Engineer in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, and has been with Aerospace since 1994 (glen.e.elfers@aero.org). Stephen B. Miller is Systems Director for the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite Program. He previously worked in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle and Space Test Program offices. He holds an M.S. in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and recently completed his 20th year at Aerospace (stephen.b.miller@aero.org).