Construction of a Unified Ground-based Control Complex for a Multi-satellite ERS Constellation

Abstract

Taking into account the increasing number of spacecraft the further development of the Russian ground-based control systems (GCS) for Earth remote sensing spacecraft requires new approaches to solving the problems of increasing the efficiency and global control of these spacecraft. The paper considers the possibility of creating a unified ERS GCS (ERS UGCS), including the existing ERS GCS and providing control capabilities for promising, newly created ERS SC. As part of the ERS UGCS, a single control center should be created that provides modeling, planning, analysis and control of future and existing spacecraft constellations and ground-based facilities. Using international experience in managing multi-satellite constellations and implementing our own experience in creating special software for the control centers, for new spacecraft constellations, it is proposed to automate the tasks of a typical regular control cycle, automate periodic maintenance operations of the spacecraft and localize emergency situations. With the aim of automating control processes, the creation of a digital mathematical model of the orbital constellation and ground-based facilities is also proposed for Russian remote sensing constellations. A model that takes into account and describes the spatio-temporal position of the spacecraft constellations, the location of the GCS, ground based data receiving processing and distribution complexes, multifunctional relay stations (MFRS), their technical condition, composition and performance should form the basis for the implementation of end-to-end planning of the main control operations and the targeted use of multi-satellite constellations.