Ground Segment Overview Basic and Introduction

Tayodit Plaidoung Product Manager & Ground System Engineer for THEOS-2 SmallSAT/MMGS

Reference ID: - Rev: 1.0 Status: Released Updated: 2-Apr-2021 by: Tayodit P.

1 Basic Introduction

2 Objective

• The purpose of this session is to give an understanding of • The overview of ground segment – Key elements that comprise ground segment on the ground station i.e. the antenna system and RF equipment – General ground system and the interfaces typically encountered for interaction with the antenna systems – Ground segment components and functionality – Interface to other system

3 Acronym CONOPS Concept of Operation GAF Geolocation Ancillary File MOC Mission Operation Centre MPS Mission Planning System SEET System End to End Test SOC Spacecraft Operation Centre SSTL Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd TC Telecommand TM Telemetry TT&C Telemetry, Tracking and Command

4 Responsibility Technical skill/Knowledge • The ground segment • Space segment introduction team responsible for • Satellite mission design • Ground system design design, develops, • Satellite operation installs and support • Familiarisation on SSTL ground segment • Engineering process (SSTL or other standard) ground segments for • Network engineering use with SSTL • IT platform equipment • Software development (C/C++, JAVA, JavaScript, python) satellites. • Software validation and verification • Software Installation and Implementation

5 Overview Value Chain

6 System High-level

Launch Space Segment Segment

X-Band Image data S-Band TT&C

SOC MOC Antenna Ground Station

Ground Segment 7 Operation Cycle

Telecommand

Image Shooting Imagery Raw Telemetry Data Data

Customer

Satellite Operation Center Data receiving & Image Ground Segment Satellite Command Mission Planning Application Customer Service

8 Example Mission Control

NASA ESA GISTDA Mission Control Center European Space Operations Centre Satellite Control Room Johnson Space Center (ESOC) Siracha, Chonburi Houston, Texas, USA Darmstadt, Germany

[Credit] [Credit] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_control_center https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Space_Operations_Centre 9 Coverage Area

2,500 Km

Sriracha Station

10 Ground Segment Overview

11 Ground Segment Overview for SmallSAT • Main components; – Ground Station o Includes the ground antenna and front end RF equipment o Includes software for configuration and control of the antenna and RF equipment – Spacecraft Operations Centre (SOC) o Includes software to command satellite, display telemetry o Flight Dynamics System – Mission Operations Centre (MOC) o Mission Planning o Image processing o Image Catalogue o Payload File Archiving

12 SmallSAT Ground Segment Architecture

S-Band - RX : 2200-2300 MHz - TX : 2025-2120 MHz S-Band System SSTL component

RF Modem S-Band Connector Application SOC EQPT (Cortex CRT) (SSTL Proprietary)

X-Band - RX : 8400 -8450 MHz X-Band System ARQ

RF STA-Server Demodulator SDP EQPT (VHR) (Saratoga) MOC

13 THEOS- 2 Sm allSA T System Block Diagram Spacecraft Schedule Data (18)

Antenna Contact Schedule (10)

Real-time Telemetry (11)

File transfer

MMGS SSTL-SOC Antenna Ground Station

ASP (GsnControl) WinIdle Archive Interface Binary schedules (GsnTLM) ASP (OUT files) (17) SaratogaWin (GsnData) ASP Database

Script GPS Logs (1) Archive GISTDA (GsnTLM) S-Band X-Band FDS WinIdle Track (GsnData) GsnControl(GsnControl) GsnData GsnTLM GsnArchive

TGS (12), TMS (13) S-Band Connector SaratogaWin Low Speed DispTLM DispTLM IP Router (STA Server) TLE(2) GSN Exec Server Async Version IP version (GsnData) (GsnTLM) (GsnTLM) Archive Database Acquisition schedules Multi Groundstation XML (16) FTP Javelin Management System GPS Logs (1) Dropbox Ephemeris (FDS)

Availability Schedule (6)

TLE(2) Contact schedules (9) TDS (20) TDA (24) Real-time Telemetry (11) Availability Schedule (7) GAF Data (22) TLE(4) TLE (4)

TDS (19) Raw Image Data (21)

Acquisition schedules XML (15) MMGS TGS (12), TMS (13) Image Data Storage

GISTDA Contact schedules (8) Mission Planning (OPTEMIS) TDA (25)

ADP Terra SPS Interface Satellite Planner (Sensor Planning Service) Mission Planning Image Processing

Catalogue Scheduler Geometric Processor Catalogue Mission Mission AOCS Metadata XML file (23) Interface Broker MPS Database

AOCS Data Storage Catalogue Interface SSTL-MOC

Catalogue interface 14 Ref: SmallSAT SSTL Ground System Architecture -rev0.8 (draft) Spacecraft Operations Centre (SOC) • SOC is monitoring and controlling the spacecraft through a set of commercial computers that are used for spacecraft TT&C operations.

15 SOC Components • Tracking and Scheduling • Commanding – Type of command • Low level commanding e.g. critical command to serial protocol • High Level commanding e.g. based on IP protocols • Telemetry (TM) – Type of TM • Low Level Telemetry e.g list of critical telemetry • High Level Telemetry e.g. Real time telemetry, Historical telemetry (record telemetry) • Doppler • Spacecraft-Ground Transfer : – Payload Files – OBC Files • Time Synchronisation • Payload Scheduling

16 Mission Operation Centre

• The MOC is used to plan spacecraft imaging operations and process and access downloaded mission payload data. • It consists of payload planning and image processing software applications.

17 Mission Planning Server

• Imaging tasks are planned by Input Output operators using the Mission

Imaging Acquisition Planning System (MPS) Mission tasks Schedules Planner Mission • Generates spacecraft activity Planning schedules Server TDS Availability Schedule Text-based GINs Mission Downlinkling Interface

Flight Antenna Mission Broker Contact Dynamics TLE System Schedules (Ephemeris) Mission Planer

18 Image Processing Server

• Raw image data from ViaSat SDP Input Output to the product subsystem which Radiometric processed by Terra Image data Raw Image and archives Antenna System Processing • Transfer AOCS Logs data (Geo- Server MMGS location Ancillary File-GAF) to (Geometricling GAF Terra Processor) ADP, in order to pass processed AOCS log data AOCS metadata XML to the ADP

geometric processor AOCS Data Storage

19 Antenna Components – Mechanical GPS Antenna & • Pedestal M&C Anemometer Computers • Dish • Motors Local Box • Cabling and management SSPA – Antenna Control Unit Reflector & Feed Siren • SCU LAN Hub – RF Oil Pump • Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA) Cortex • SSPA SCU • D/C, U/C UP/C • Waveguide/Feed system D/C Servo Control Grease Pump – Environmental Sensors Unit GPS • GPS and Anemometer • Wind • Temperature • Humidity Dehydrator ADU Box 20 Antenna Location

S-band (WATER)

X-band X-band (L3) (ViaSat)

Antenna

S-band (CGC)

21 S-band (WATER) X-band (VIASAT) X-band (L3)

22 GISTDA Antenna Ground Station (Hexapod)

Reflector - 6.1 m - Carbon fiber

Feed - Prime Focus - RX : 2200-2300 MHz - TX : 2025-2120 MHz

Hexapod - Program Track - EL : 0-180o - AZ : 0-360o

23 GISTDA Antenna Ground Station (3 Axis)

24 Ground Station Design • RF o Frequencies and bandwidth o The existing RF environment like, any in-band interferers? o Customer/State Agency engagement to resolve interference signals – some legal, some illegal • Environment o The weather conditions like at the site? o High wind conditions? Rain? Dust? Sand? Significant temperature variations? Snow and Ice? • Factors affecting antenna and ground station system selection – Geographical location that blocking line of sight – Modulation Schemes – FSK or BPSK uplink? QPSK or 8PSK X-Band downlink? – Performance – link budget coordination with RF Team – Multi Ground station Support? – CONOPS o Direct downlink broadcast mode? ARQ on uplink to handle dropped packets? o Support for other satellites?

25 Ground Station Design (cont.)

• Infrastructure – Site infrastructure e.g. building design, electrical, air condition and construction – Inter-building links as required (e.g. RF and IP LAN) – IT Services – Internet access requirement, Email, FTP services – Generate the facilities requirement documentation to cover electrical, air conditioning, civil engineering, Antenna mounting and load management, network, Internet, facilities etc. • Networking Constraints – Bandwidth estimation e.g, Gigabit infrastructure – Inter-building links? – Ground segment LAN as isolated or connected to customer LAN? Security constraints? – Provision of remote access?

26 SmallSAT Ground Segment Test Strategy

Stage A: Stage C: Stage E: Stage G: Commissioning Subsystem System Installation Integration LRR Subsystem Test Installation and Integration Test Commissioning level DIGINEO DIGINEO-MMGS test Ready for MMGS Integrated B integration Ready for LRR D DIGINEO AIRBUS DIGINEO LRR F FAT OSAT IOTR Commissioning Ready For MainSAT DIGINEO Integration

GISTDA Common Interface Test Antenna Ground Antenna Ground MMGS - DIGINEO Integration Test Facility Network Test Station – DIGINEO Station – SmallSAT GS Readiness Compatibility Test Compatibility Test Review GIPS Interface Test GINs Interface Test Mobile X-Band Interface Test MMGS (Incl. MIPS) Commissioning

MMGS SSTL GS Integration Subsystem Acceptance MIXERs MMGS-SSTL GS Test Interface Test Integration test Ready for SmallSAT

SmallSAT SSTL SSTL FAT SSTL Hardware SSTL SSTL End-to- LRR G IOTR Inspection Post Installation Test OSAT SSTL GS-MMGS End Test Commissioning C E Integrated Ready for LRR SSTL Ground Segment Ready for MMGS Integration

A H

System Ready for Installation Ground System Ready for and Integration Commissioning Legend • SSTL FAT • SSTL Ground Segment • Verify Interface • Should be done MMGS scope • MMGS Subsystem Installation and OSAT between SSTL- before SEET SSTL scope Acceptance Test • Including MMGS • SmallSAT LRR AIRBUS scope GISTDA • GISTDA Facility – Antenna Ground • Should be done scope Readiness Review Station Compatibility before SEET Test 27 – Network Test THEOS-2 Ground System Network Diagram

Dedicated Dedicated Dedicated Internet access VPN Kiruna Internet access Internet access (CAT Provider)

Sat Building THEOS1 Control Room Building Water Building AIT Building

S-Band S-Band CGC THEOS 2 SSTL MMGS THEOS 1 (CGS) Water RF System RF System

CGC Water S-band Antenna S-band Antenna

GISTDA BKK Network Layer 3 device Switch or router tbd!!

GISTDA SKP Infrastructure

Main Building

X-band X-band THEOS 1 THEOS 1 L3 VIASAT (IGS) (MPC) RF System RF System

Antenna systems

L3 Viasat X-band Antenna X-band Antenna 28 GISTDA Facility Map Inter-Network Test

GISTDA BKK • Physical Link Network Verification • Routing Connection

4.1 Image Acquisition and Add SFP+ Cisco 10 Gbps (4 modules) Production 1 5. WATER S-Band Antenna LAN (Acq. room): 10 4.2 Data Centre 1 1

8. L3 X-Band Antenna 6. ViaSat X-Band Antenna 1 7. CGC S-Band Antenna (3 Fl.) 3. THEOS-1 Control Building 1

2 1.2 Ground Server room

2.1 CCTV room 1 LAN (Office): 35

1 1.1 NOC room 2.1 Cleanroom 1 LAN (Clean room): 10

2. AIT 1. Space Centrariu Building (Clean Room) 29 Ground Segment Hardware Workflow

Example of Ground Segment Rack Workstation

RF Rack

[Credit] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_center#/media/File:Datacenter-telecom.jpg

30 Thank you

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