The Multi-Mission Operations Concept at the German Space Operations Center

Kurzfassung

The paper describes capabilities and activities of the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) which operates communication, navigation and earth observation satellites as well as Columbus, a human spaceflight mission. DLR offers its partners operations services for the different mission types on a modular basis. For many mission types DLR has the advantage to further offer the complete end-to-end services by additionally involving DLR’s Remote Sensing Data Center and several DLR research institutes like the Remote Sensing Technology, the Microwave and Radar, the Robotics and Mechatronics and the Communications and Navigation institutes, all located at the same DLR site in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich. GSOC supports the phases Operations Preparation, Training and Simulation, LEOP Operations, Commissioning Phase, In-Orbit-Tests and Routine Operations as well as the Rundown Phase and Deorbiting. Regarding the Operations Systems GSOC provides the Development, Configuration, Operations and Maintenance of the Flight Operations System (FOS), the Mission Planning System (MPS) and the Flight Dynamics System (FDS). GSOC also manages the Ground Data System (GDS) which comprises the Operations and Maintenance of Control Room Facilities, Computer Systems, Local and Wide Area Networks as well as the DLR Ground Station in Weilheim complemented by a network of Ground Stations of our partner organizations. The typical Earth observation mission is run at GSOC in a multi mission mode. A single multi-mission operations team (1st level support) monitors and controls up to 6 satellites on 24h/7days a week in the Satellite Control Center. Currently the missions CHAMP, GRACE, BIRD and TerraSAR-X are supported. For communication satellites like the SATCOMBw mission GSOC has a another dedicated 1st level operations team. In both areas there is support given by project dedicated 2nd level subsystem engineers. For Galileo, the new European Navigation Satellite System, another specialized team in the new Galileo Control Center building manages and operates the mission. The future area of On-Orbit Servicing satellite missions will also require a dedicated 1st level operations team, but GSOC seeks synergies on the subsystem operations engineers’ level with other missions. The demanding Human Spaceflight mission Columbus requires a dedicated 1st level 24/7 operations team to cover at least six on-console positions at the Columbus Control Center at any time. They are supported by another team which is mainly responsible for facility operations and maintenance. 1