An Augmented Ground Station Architecture for Spacecraft-Initiated Communication Service Requests

Spacecraft performing science and exploration missions have increasingly complex and event-driven objectives, making communication needs difficult to predict in advance. Additional flexibility is required in space communication provider networks to effectively meet time-varying demand. We envision a framework for automated resource allocation in which requests for communications service are initiated by spacecraft based on current mission needs. We propose an augmented ground station configuration featuring a wide field-of-view antenna to receive transmissions from spacecraft requesting high-rate communications. A software suite to automate the service fulfillment process, including interfacing with external scheduling systems such as NASA’s Near Space Network, is described. Experimental results characterizing the physical-layer link between the wide field-of-view antenna and a software-defined radio testbed on the International Space Station are presented. We also discuss long-duration software testing on a ground-based testbed. Taken together, these proof-of-concept results demonstrate the feasibility of the concept to improve the responsiveness of space communications.