Session
Session 10: Ground Systems
Abstract
A new, fully IP-centric approach for connecting mission operations to spacecraft is presented in this paper. This topology provides for standard IP interfaces to be used for payload and flight components. This allows quick integration and easy reusability of satellite components, specifically lending itself to small satellites and accelerated mission deployments. From a mission operations point of view, satellite payload components and mission operations elements become IP end-points in a network. Ground stations become analogous to IP traffic forwarding, routing, and switching elements. The architecture provides an abstraction to the physical communication channels, routing communication packets over the internet, through ground stations, and onward to spacecraft. Security is supported via IP encryption and decryption devices located in the mission operations center. All command messages, including mission operations commands, as well as payload retransmit requests messages, are encrypted away from the site, eliminating the need for key exchange protocols and security concerns at remote sites. A real-world demonstration of this architecture is performed using an existing network of ground stations and on-orbit spacecraft. From a single mission operations center, these spacecraft have been controlled/flown using a fully network centric approach.
A Novel IP-Centric Approach to LEO Communications
A new, fully IP-centric approach for connecting mission operations to spacecraft is presented in this paper. This topology provides for standard IP interfaces to be used for payload and flight components. This allows quick integration and easy reusability of satellite components, specifically lending itself to small satellites and accelerated mission deployments. From a mission operations point of view, satellite payload components and mission operations elements become IP end-points in a network. Ground stations become analogous to IP traffic forwarding, routing, and switching elements. The architecture provides an abstraction to the physical communication channels, routing communication packets over the internet, through ground stations, and onward to spacecraft. Security is supported via IP encryption and decryption devices located in the mission operations center. All command messages, including mission operations commands, as well as payload retransmit requests messages, are encrypted away from the site, eliminating the need for key exchange protocols and security concerns at remote sites. A real-world demonstration of this architecture is performed using an existing network of ground stations and on-orbit spacecraft. From a single mission operations center, these spacecraft have been controlled/flown using a fully network centric approach.
