Educational and Real-World Satellite Mission Operations Center at the US Naval Academy

Educational and Real-World Satellite Mission Operations Center at the US Naval Academy

Utah State University, Logan, UT

For successful satellite missions at the United States Naval Academy (USNA), a critical element is the
establishment of a capable and dynamic Satellite Mission Operations Center (SOC). In addition to powerful hardware, flexibility and adaptability allow the SOC to continue to support operations, even as new protocols arise and communication architectures change with the rapid pace of small satellite advancement. Software-defined radios (SDRs) provide the necessary flexibility for the SOC to easily change configurations and network with other ground stations. However, the resulting high-tech, turn-key operations of an advanced SOC tend to alienate students from hands-on learning experiences. The USNA SOC addresses the dilemma between current advances in technology and the need for students to experience satellite operations at a more fundamental level with a dual-track SOC in the USNA Space Systems Engineering Laboratory (SSEL). In the SOC, students learn the basics of satellite operations through a manual, knob-turning ground station setup, as well as use the state-of-the-art system to operate space assets at an advanced level. The overall ground station architecture and student utilization protocols are detailed in the paper. The goal is to provide useful information for other education-focused ground stations by describing the implemented SOC architecture, its capabilities, its network features, and the SDR architecture.