Satellite Control Network
Abstract
In FY 2022, PE 1203040SF, Defense Cyber Operations - Space efforts were transferred from PE 1203110SF Satellite Control Network (SPACE), Budget Activity 07 due to the creation of a new Program Element for Defense Cyber Operations - Space. The Satellite Control Network (SCN), formerly known as the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN), is a satellite ground terminal network comprised of two communication nodes (Schriever SFB & Vandenberg SFB) and 15 antenna systems. The antennas are distributed around the globe at seven locations -- Vandenberg Tracking Station (VTS), Diego Garcia Station (DGS), Guam Tracking Station (GTS), Hawaii Tracking Station (HTS), New Hampshire Tracking Station (NHS), Thule Tracking Station (TTS) and Telemetry and Commanding Station (TCS) at RAF Oakhanger, England -- to ensure global coverage for over 170 satellites in various orbits operating in a congested and contested environment. The SCN conducts an average of 450+ satellite contacts per day supporting Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Missile Warning and Missile Defense, Communications, Weather, Launch Vehicle Support, and Research and Development (R&D) for Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community (IC), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) operations. While most of the 450+ daily satellite contacts are routine command and control (C2) activities, the SCN is also used during satellite emergencies (e.g. a tumbling satellite) because its high-power antennas are often the only terrestrial assets that can re-establish contact with a non-responsive satellite. During each Fiscal Year, the SCN typically supports multiple space vehicle emergencies, resulting in the preservation of over 4B worth of satellites. In addition to routine and emergency satellite operations C2, the SCN provides support to launch and early orbit operations, ensuring worldwide telemetry during launch vehicle ascent, staging, and orbital insertion, and data transmit and receive for new satellites completing early orbit checkout. During each Fiscal Year, the SCN supports multiple launches delivering an average of 14B worth of satellites to their operational orbits. Finally, the SCN provides Factory Compatibility Testing (FCT) to ensure satellites and launch vehicles can communicate via the SCN before the satellite is launched. These funds are utilized to meet evolving future space demands for Ground Enterprise Next (GEN), to include transmit, receive and data transport to ensure capabilities are available to support DoD, IC, and civil users. This includes efforts to provide more capable ground-based antennas, augment the existing SCN with Federal and commercial antennas to both diversify space-ground link resources and increase capacity for spacecraft communication, modernize satellite scheduling, and develop infrastructure network solutions for long-haul terrestrial communications compatible with Air Force and Space Force missions. Other activities include identifying shared/common platform, infrastructure and data layer solutions to support open frameworks and architectures across the enterprise ground portfolio. Funds are also used for requirements management, system planning, enterprise analysis and architecture support, Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I), cyber security, test, system enhancement and deficiency resolution, and system resiliency. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. Space Systems Command (SSC) has transformed the organization and implementation of space acquisition to an enterprise approach to increase innovation and resiliency, leveraging international, commercial, and mission partnerships, and managing program /project priorities according to an integrated unclassified /classified enterprise space architecture. Expanding the appropriate acquisition authorities and contract mechanisms to deliver capability sooner, SSC will strategically execute experimentation, prototyping, risk reduction, and other efforts to develop new or re-purpose existing capabilities. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver SCN weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392SF and 1206398SF. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Source ID
- 673276_1203110SF_7_3620F_PB_2023
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- Root: Satellite Control Network (SPACE)
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