Satellite Control Network

Abstract

The Satellite Control Network (SCN) 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. New for FY 2024 is an increase in funding in two major thrusts. The first is for Cyber-secure Mission Data Transport—a new start—to develop the objective meshONE-Terrestrial (meshONE-T) data transport network. The second is for Satellite C2 Augmentation Services, to support initial operations of Federal Augmentation Services capabilities, providing additional contact capacity for satellite operations. The meshONE-T system, like the SCN ground terminal network, provides an enterprise capability for USSF and other customers. meshONE-T nodes, located at USSF and other mission partner military installations (e.g., USSF and USAF bases), remote sensor, operational, and system development locations, utilize diversified long-haul communication circuits to provide high speed, scalable, resilient, cyber-secure transport services for mission data producers and consumers. These services are operated and managed via geographically dispersed Enterprise Service Desk (ESD) / Network Operation Center (NOC) sites. The multi-tenant, mission-agnostic system uses Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS)-based solutions and industry standard (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)) protocols to move data traffic quickly, efficiently, and securely across the Internet Protocol (IP)-based network architecture. The pathfinder, comprised of 20 nodes, long-haul communications links, classified-cloud-services connections, and an ESD/NOC, provides data transport capabilities for Next-Gen and Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) and Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) mission partners. The objective meshONE-T effort proliferates this modern service to additional mission partners and locations—anticipated to include all principal USSF sites—in accordance with warfighter priorities. Supplementary CONUS and OCONUS NOCs, communication links, bandwidth upgrades, and system improvements increase global operational reach, resiliency, and responsiveness to support warfighter operations through all phases of conflict. Software defined networking capabilities accelerate onboarding of new mission partners and the delivery of transport services, providing the agility necessary to counter emerging threats. meshONE-T resolves current space mission network shortfalls including antiquated protocols, bandwidth constraints, lack of resiliency, cyber vulnerability, and excessive fielding times. All mission partners on meshONE-T become part of the USSF ground network enterprise, with access to every node and network-provided cyber-secure services. 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 repurpose existing capabilities, and will continue to plan and develop solutions based upon established, industry standards and open architectures to support both the SDA & BMC3 missions to meet dynamic emerging threats. 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.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type: Project
Publication Date: Oct 01, 2024
Source ID: 673276_1203110SF_7_3620F_PB_2024

Satellite Control Network

Abstract

Document Details

Tags

Readers

Technology Areas

Related Documents