A new generation of Monitoring and Control System for ESTRACK

Abstract

For the supervision of ESTRACK, its network of ground stations, ESA/ESOC is developing a new system, the Ground Station Monitoring and Control system (GSMC). The monitoring and control systems for the spacecraft missions and for the ground stations were traditionally two distinct fields. This new system builds on existing frameworks and exploits synergy between the two areas. A Common Monitoring and Control Platform (CMCP) has been implemented, starting from the infrastructure used for the spacecraft operations and complementing it with operational concepts currently in use for the ground station domain. This approach brings benefits both for spacecraft operations and for ground station operations. Whereas the previous systems focused on the operations of a single ground station in isolation, this new system provides as well an overall view of the entire ground station network. This gives a better support for the automation of the operations, with enhanced capabilities to coordinate the execution of the scheduled activities prepared by the ESTRACK planning and scheduling system. In addition, the project took into consideration constraints imposed by the transition from an existing infrastructure and configuration, with the goal to provide means to support the migration and to re-use the logic and procedures developed over the years for configuring ESTRACK ground stations for spacecraft support. This paper presents the main elements of the GSMC, providing an overview of the overall monitoring and control concepts for ESTRACK ground stations, highlighting automation aspects for the configuration of the ESTRACK network.