Session
Swifty Session 3
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The European Data Relay System (EDRS) provides a high speed data link between ground stations and satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The communication between LEO satellites is achieved via optical inter-satellite links, the data is then relayed to ground using a Ka-Band antenna. During nominal operations, up to 200 links per day are foreseen to be commanded by the ground system at DLR's German Space Operations Center (GSOC). This large number of complex activities connected to each link is beyond the capabilities of a classical operational concept where only manual operations are performed by a single satellite operator. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce an automated system with limited human interactions. The support from the operator will be required only for contingencies or special operations either on the ground or on the space segment. Currently, spacecraft operations are based on Flight Operation Procedures (FOPs) which include all required telecommands (TC) and telemetry (TM) parameters to be verified, as well as additional information, such as expected values, comments, expected deviations. In the classical operational concept, the TC release system and the telemetry verification is performed within the single mission control system (MCS) that is SCOS-2000. SCOS-2000 is the European standard MCS software infrastructure developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). Here, telecommands are uploaded on a stack and sent manually by an operator who will also be in charge to monitor the telemetry parameters and look out for possible anomalies. Thanks to the heritage of the automation system implemented successfully to the EDRS-A mission, an automatic control system to operate the EDRS-C satellite was also developed. This state of the art system commands the satellite in its nominal operations entirely without human interaction. It uses input FOPs as the classical operational approach but it executes the whole procedure at once. This concept provides a complete procedure based interface to the spacecraft controller combining commanding and verifying capabilities of entire procedures on a single entity, thus drastically reducing human error in complex procedure executions. This novel philosophy of spacecraft operations will increase the situational awareness of the satellite operator and at the same time provide more automation throughout the mission. It has proven to be highly reliable and efficient, considering the past four years of 24/7 operations and more than 1 million minutes of inter-satellite communication time. It includes automated, manual, as well as semi-automated operation concept focusing on decision breakpoints and automation in between. The goal of this paper is to present this successful approach and highlight the advantages and risk mitigation associated with an automated system for spacecraft operations.
Approach to Automated Processes for Satellite Operations
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The European Data Relay System (EDRS) provides a high speed data link between ground stations and satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The communication between LEO satellites is achieved via optical inter-satellite links, the data is then relayed to ground using a Ka-Band antenna. During nominal operations, up to 200 links per day are foreseen to be commanded by the ground system at DLR's German Space Operations Center (GSOC). This large number of complex activities connected to each link is beyond the capabilities of a classical operational concept where only manual operations are performed by a single satellite operator. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce an automated system with limited human interactions. The support from the operator will be required only for contingencies or special operations either on the ground or on the space segment. Currently, spacecraft operations are based on Flight Operation Procedures (FOPs) which include all required telecommands (TC) and telemetry (TM) parameters to be verified, as well as additional information, such as expected values, comments, expected deviations. In the classical operational concept, the TC release system and the telemetry verification is performed within the single mission control system (MCS) that is SCOS-2000. SCOS-2000 is the European standard MCS software infrastructure developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). Here, telecommands are uploaded on a stack and sent manually by an operator who will also be in charge to monitor the telemetry parameters and look out for possible anomalies. Thanks to the heritage of the automation system implemented successfully to the EDRS-A mission, an automatic control system to operate the EDRS-C satellite was also developed. This state of the art system commands the satellite in its nominal operations entirely without human interaction. It uses input FOPs as the classical operational approach but it executes the whole procedure at once. This concept provides a complete procedure based interface to the spacecraft controller combining commanding and verifying capabilities of entire procedures on a single entity, thus drastically reducing human error in complex procedure executions. This novel philosophy of spacecraft operations will increase the situational awareness of the satellite operator and at the same time provide more automation throughout the mission. It has proven to be highly reliable and efficient, considering the past four years of 24/7 operations and more than 1 million minutes of inter-satellite communication time. It includes automated, manual, as well as semi-automated operation concept focusing on decision breakpoints and automation in between. The goal of this paper is to present this successful approach and highlight the advantages and risk mitigation associated with an automated system for spacecraft operations.
