Telecommunications in Russian Mission Control Center

Michael Lvovich Pronin, Vladimir Ivanovich Lobatchev, Valeri Alexeyevich Udaloy

Russian Mission Control Center

Abstract:
The importance to explore Outer Space and substantial expenditures 
required for space-oriented programs justify a wide-spread geography 
and multinational pattern of efforts. Each draft project evolves to 
its maturity via coordination, concurrence, approval, simulation and 
operational phases. A noteceable cost reduction can be reached by 
extensive usage of wide-band telecommunication (TC) loops that allow 
discussions of pending issues and early preparation for the upcoming 
meeting or mission.

Each participant covers its geographical area of responsibility: 
Russia -Russian Mission Control Center (MCC-M), Germany - GSOC, USA - 
Marshall Space Flight Center, etc. Initially MCC-M/GSOC TC trunk (128 
Kbs) via a satellite was commissioned in 1994 to support EUROMIR-95 
Project activities. Various legs of this route are based on a variety 
of physical lines (coaxial and fiberoptic cables, ground radio 
relays, etc.). Some channels are redundant and belong to different 
participants. For example, MCC-M/GSOC loop elements backed up 
critical operations of MIR/Shuttle Program by patching MCC-M to 
MCC-Houston, via Germany, thus increasing reliability of TC.

Simulations of critical mission phases without TC would have required 
enormous expenses. Instead, researchers and managers of Program 
MIR-23 utilize a dedicated network to support simulations of a German 
astronaut providing data exchange (DEx), video, fax, and voice loops 
between Gagarin's Cosmonaut Training Center, MCC-M and GSOC 
facilities.

PRIRODA Project launched by Russian Space Agency and DARA established 
a reliable TC channel for science and trajectory (TRJ) DEx, 
spacecraft telemetry (TLM) downlink, fax and voice loops between 
Energia Research Center, MCC-M and GSOC. This fosters a 
decision-making process in a near real-time mode.

MARS-96 Project uses TC loops to connect Russian Institute of Space 
Research (with NPO "Lavochkin" as a co-partner), MCC-M and GSOC and 
allows for scientific, TRJ and TLM DEx, fax and voice messages 
transfer.

Other projects are in development.