Automating ESAs Ground Station Operations

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Automating ESAs Ground Station Operations
Thomas Beck , May Aimee Larsen, John Reynolds,
Marin Unal, Duncan Warren European Space
Operations Centre Ground Facilities Operations
Division Robert Bosch Strasse 5, D-62293
Darmstadt Tel [phone], Fax
49-6151-903190 e-mail Thomas.Beck_at_esa.int
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ESA Ground Station Network
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Remote Monitor and Control Characteristics

• All equipment in a ground station is connected
  via a layered architecture to a Station Computer.
  Latter is remotely controlled from ESOC.
• Configuration of station equipment (gt 15000
  parameters) via predefined macrocommands (Jobs)
• Sets of Jobs specific for each mission
• (For most stations) job execution is triggered
  manually by Operators who follow a Sequence of
  Events
• Routine supports manual remote operations from
  ESOC, stations unmanned
• Critical support periods (launch) local central
  operations under voice control from ESOC,
  stations manned

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Volume of Remote Station Operations
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Remote Station Operations, performance per site
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Remote Station Operations, call-outs
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Remote Station Operations, failure causes
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Automated Station Operations, Current

• Remote operations of ESAs Kiruna ground station
  (frequent short duration passes) are fully
  automated.
• Full Sequence of Events is executed via time tag
  driven Jobs.
• Time tags are referenced to AOS/LOS
• Remote operator at ESOC supervises pass.
  Intervention only in case of problems.
• Automation in use since 1991. Station was
  dedicated to earth observation missions which
  generated the job time line.

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Drivers for change

• Cost pressure on ESTRACK
• Higher utilisation of existing installations and
  personnel
• Reducing own facilities and more procurement of
  services from partners. Interoperability.
• Higher degree of sharing ? multimission
  facilities and teams
• Changing customer charcateristics
• Higher on-board autonomy with reduced operator
  staffing on ground
• Fewer ground contact periods but with higher
  reliabilty
• Very elastic support requirements  n hours of
  tracking per week from any ESTRACK station with a
  minimum duration of 2 hrs
• Automated mission operations
• Technological advances in ground segment
  technology
• Increased complexity and diversity (deep space)
  of ESTRACK installations
• Availability of reliable wide band communications
  at reasonable cost
• Increase of COTS elements in ground station.

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Trend towards Automation
Merging of automated planning/scheduling and
operations execution
Automation on network level
Automated remote operations for multi mission
stations incl. deep space
Automation of stations that are mission dedicated
Remote operations
Local, central operations
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ESTRACK Management and Scheduling System (EMS)
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Automated Station Operations, Ongoing

• Automated operations at Cebreros for Venus
  Express are implemented. New Norcia in
  preparation. Time lines are generated by mission
  planning system.
• Automation for Mars Express station operations is
  being implemented. Time lines generated by
  ESTRACK (SCHEDITOR).
• Time line execution uses existing feature of STC.
• Results are very positive.

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Conclusion

• Remote operation of ESTRACK stations is safe and
  mature.
• Automated remote operations of mission dedicated
  stations is succesfully implemented.
• Automated remote operations are being introduced
  for the entirety of the ESA stations.
• ESTRACK Management and Scheduling System (EMS)
  will enable automated operations on network
  level.
• EMS will enable automatic interaction between
  planning/scheduling and real time operations.