Integrating Small Satellite Missions into a Multi-Mission Operations Environment: A Consolidated Approach with EGS-CC

Kurzfassung

The German Space Operations Center (GSOC) has a long history of operating large-scale and prestigious space missions. The key to such multi-mission operations is a reliable and interoperable multi-mission operations environment, based on highly standardized TM/TC communications. For this reason, the core mission operations systems and ground station equipment used by GSOC rely on established standards like CCSDS 132.0-B-3, CCSDS 232.0-B-4, CCSDS 133.0-B-2, and ECSS E-ST-70-41C. With the advent of New Space, recent years have seen an increasing prevalence of small satellite missions. Such missions follow a very different mindset, being much cheaper and more open to risk, challenging traditional mission operations concepts and standards. The first mission of this kind to be operated at GSOC is CubeL, a CubeSat launched in early 2021, which relies on the CubeSat Space Protocol (CSP). CubeL has provided GSOC with valuable insights into the integration and operations of a small satellite mission within the existing multimission environment. However, it also laid bare the challenges of bringing two very different worlds together: established standards like CCSDS and ECSS on the one side, and New Space concepts like CSP on the other. As a result, the integration of CubeL required the implementation of a number of custom solutions, which do not promote GSOC’s multi-mission strategy. In this paper, we propose a new concept for integrating small satellite missions, such as CubeL, into the GSOC multi-mission environment. This strategy is based on the European Ground System - Common Core (EGS-CC), which is the core building block of GSOC’s future MCS. Using CubeL as a reference, we review the challenges of integrating a small satellite mission into the established multi-mission environment. Building upon this analysis, we describe a more consolidated solution based on EGS-CC, which aims to extend the GSOC multi-mission strategy by providing a standardized and flexible framework for small satellite missions. Finally, we identify some key considerations for small satellite manufacturers looking to align with a more standardized strategy for operating small satellite missions.