EFAL: EDRS Feeder Link from Antarctic Latitudes - System Architecture and Operations Concept

• Published in: SpaceOps 2014 Conference
• Main Authors: Bobrovskyi, Sergei, Barrios, Ricardo, Giggenbach, Dirk, Moll, Florian, Sellmaier, Florian, Huber, Felix
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: German
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Controlling und Akquisition RB; Satellitennetze; Antarc*; Antarctic; Arctic
• Online Access: https://elib.dlr.de/89828/; https://elib.dlr.de/89828/1/__192.168.178.179_NAS-Share_OP_Projects_publications_All_2014-Bobrovskyi-CNF-SpaceOps-EFAL_results_2014_Bobrovskyi_EFAL_SpaceOps.pdf; http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2014-1822

The goal of near real-time delivery of data from spacecraft in polar low Earth orbits to the customers can be achieved by utilization of Arctic and Antarctic hubs in a Ground Station Network. Additionally, the commanding of the satellites from these hubs can provide novel opportunities for spacecraft operations. The challenge of high-rate data repatriation from such remote sites can be met by means of laser communications from ground to geostationary satellites. We present system architecture and operations concept for a setup employing the European Data Relay System (EDRS) for data uplinks from an Antarctic ground station taking into account the impact of local atmospheric conditions.