PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The objective of the SOAAS project is to develop a Satellite Operations as a Service (SOaaS) product. The service will be offered as follows:
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As Software as a Service (SaaS): SOaaS is deployed at any place, within a public or private cloud, and it will be remotely operated by our customers.
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Offering the operations service itself. The software system is deployed as per the previous bullet, but it is operated also by GMV subject to a specific Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the customer.
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By leasing or selling the software to a third party. The system can be deployed as described above and the third party would either offer it to an operator or operate the satellites themselves.
GMV’s current ground segment products are a worldwide reference and will be the base for the project. The main features to be developed are:
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• Enhance deployment and make it more flexible to adapt it to cloud technologies while ensuring remote access to data and service outputs.
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• Improve system interfaces using middleware for message streaming.
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• Automate operations to minimize user intervention.
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• Provide advanced reports using dedicated visualization dashboards.
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• Develop standard operational procedures easily adapted to reference missions.
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• End-to-end validation of the SOaaS system.
Challenges
SOaaS activities include highly innovative deployment and operations solutions. This shift from the traditional satellite control centre is the greatest challenge in the project, moving from a traditional human-operated control centre for a single mission to an automated, multi-mission, scalable and reusable solution, and it requires the adaptation to a service-based architecture using state-of-the-art technologies.
System Architecture
The SOaaS product integrates the main subsystems of a satellite operations centre and provides some common layers to centralise information and status. SOaaS products provides solutions that are scalable from a single satellite to large fleets and even massive mega-constellations. The product is illustrated in the following high-level block diagram, which identifies the key building blocks and major interfaces.
The main components in SOaaS are an evolution of GMV’s current product line:
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Mission Planning System: Flexplan
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Flight Dynamics System: Focussuite
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Mission Control System: hifly
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Ground M&C: magnet
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Fleet orchestrator: Flyplan
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Analytics: archiva & centralLog
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Awareness: FleetDashboard
Plan
The Satellite Operations as a Service project is a product phase development. The main milestones are:
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Kick-off meeting
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Preliminary Design Review
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Operations Design Review
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Mid-term Review
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Test Readiness Review
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Acceptance Review
Current Status
The SOaaS project started in July 2022 with a successful Kick-off meeting, and it is currently undergoing the design phase until late 2022.
In 2023, the concept of operations is to be reviewed and development of SOaaS will start. Validation and acceptance phases are planned for 2024.
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