Challenges to evolve a S2K-based PROBA GS towards EGS-CC

Abstract

With the emergence of the EGS-CC (European Ground Systems -Common Core) and the evolution of the technologies, a new generation of control centers is needed. This is the context in which the PROBA-Next Ground Segment Evolution study was conducted. The objective is to evolve the PROBA ground segment, which is based on the SCOS-2000, toward the EGS-CC whilst preserving the characteristics which have made the success of the PROBA missions. The new architecture also includes new functionalities which aim at stepping the PROBA GS into the digitalized era. This paper presents the challenges to evolve a S2K-based ground segment toward EGS-CC as well as the resulting new architecture. I. Introduction to PROBA A. PROBA MissionsPROBA is a low-cost mission microsatellites family that has been initiated with PROBA-1 acting as on-board autonomy demonstrator. This initial small satellite weighting less than one hundred kilograms embarks two Earth Observation instruments taking 20-m resolution hyperspectral images and 8-m resolution gray scale images.It has been followed by PROBA-2, launched in 2009, dedicated to the sun observation and PROBA-V, launched in 2013, continuing the Vegetation monitoring started with the Vegetation instruments on board the French SPOT-4 and SPOT-5 earth observation mission.PROBA-3 with a launch date scheduled at end of 2020 will assure the continuity of the program by demonstrating the formation flying of multiple spacecraft.Although its specification of operational life was limited to 2 years, PROBA-1 has celebrated its 16 th year of operations becoming the longest operated earth observation mission of all time. B. PROBA Ground SegmentSince its first mission, PROBA has put ahead autonomy as a key driver on the mission architecture and concept. This autonomy is implemented on board through a high level commanding as well as a safe by design system architecture requiring no time critical operations.Another major characteristic of PROBA is to address mission targeted to small satellite with a low cost budget. This budget objective is reached through a maximum automation in flight and within the ground segment. This limits the cost of the operations during the satellite operational life.The development cost is also optimized by using at the early stage of the AIV the future control center as EGSE testing tool. This approach alleviates the validation of the operational environment as it is an evolution of the spacecraft testing environment. This approach has several impacts on the control center architecture forcing the architecture to be modular as well as adaptable from an AIT environment up to an operational environment.The spacecraft is operated according to the PUS standard [1]. The full automation of the operations is obtained through a set of Flight and Ground Control Procedures that have been gradually developed and tested during the satellite AIV activities.