Tracking, Telemetry and Command Subsystem
The tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) subsystem monitors and controls the satellite right from
the lift-off stage to the end of its operational life in space. The tracking part of the subsystem determines the
position of the spacecraft and follows its travel using angle, range and velocity information. The telemetry part
gathers information on the health of various subsystems of the satellite. It encodes this information and then
transmits the same towards the Earth control centre.
The command element receives and executes remote control commands from the control centre on Earth
to effect changes to the platform functions, configuration, position and velocity. The TT&C subsystem is
therefore very important, not only during orbital injection and the positioning phase but also throughout the
operational life of the satellite.
Figure 4.21 shows the block schematic arrangement of the basic TT&C subsystem. Tracking, as
mentioned earlier, is used to determine the orbital parameters of the satellite on a regular basis. This helps in
maintaining the satellite in the desired orbit and in providing look-angle information to the Earth stations. Angle
tracking can, for instance, be used to determine the azimuth and elevation angles from the Earth station. The
time interval measurement technique can be used for the purpose of ranging by sending a signal via the
command link and getting a return
via the telemetry link. The rate of change of range can be determined either by measuring the phase shift
of the return signal as compared to that of the transmitted signal or by using a pseudorandom code modulation
and the correlation between the transmitted and the received signals.
During the orbital injection and positioning phase, the telemetry link is primarily used by the tracking
system to establish a satellite-to-Earth control centre communications channel. After the satellite is put into the
desired slot in its intended orbit, its primary function is to monitor the health of various subsystems on board the
satellite. It gathers data from a variety of sensors and then transmits that data to the Earth control centre. The
data include a variety of electrical and non-electrical parameters. The sensor output could be analogue or digital.
Wherever necessary, the analogue output is digitized. With the modulation signal as digital, various signals are
multiplexed using the time division multiplexing (TDM) technique. Since the bit rates involved in telemetry
signals are low, it allows a smaller receiver bandwidth to be used at the Earth control centre with good signal-to-
noise ratio.
The command element is used to receive, verify and execute remote control commands from the satellite
control centre. The functions performed by the command element include controlling certain functions during
the orbital injection and positioning phase, including firing the apogee boost motor and extending solar panels,
during the launch phase. When in orbit, it is used to control certain onboard equipment status including
transponder switching, antenna pointing control, battery reconditioning, etc. The control commands received by
the command
element on the satellite are first stored on the satellite and then retransmitted back to the Earth control
station via a telemetry link for verification. After the commands are verified on the ground, a command
execution signal is then sent to the satellite to initiate intended action.
Two well-established and better-known integrated TT&C networks used worldwide for telemetry,
tracking and command operations of satellites include the ESTRACK (European space tracking) network of the
ESA (European Space Agency) and the ISTRAC (ISRO telemetry, tracking and command) network of the ISRO
(Indian Space Research Organization).
The European Space Agency operates the ESTRACK network of ground stations used for telemetry,
tracking and command in support of spacecraft operations. The ESTRACK network stations are connected to
the ESAs mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, via OPSNET(operations network), which isESA’s
ground communications [Link] has permanent links with the NASCOM (NASA astronomical
satellite communications) network of NASA (national aeronautics and space administration) and also temporary
links with CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) of France, DLR/GSOC (Deutschen Zentrums f¨ur
huftund
Raumfahrt/German Space Operations Center) of Germany and NASDA (National Space Development
agency) of Japan.
The ISTRAC network of ISRO with its headquarters at Bangalore provides TT&C and mission control
support to launch vehicle missions and near Earth orbiting satellites through an integrated network of ground
stations located at Bangalore, Lucknow, Sriharikota, Port Blair, Thiruvanthapuram (all in India), Mauritius,
Bearslake (Russia), Brunei and Biak (Indonesia), with a multimission spacecraft control centre at Bangalore.
ISTRAC has also established the SPACENET, which connects various ISRO centres. ISTRAC network
provides the following major functions:
1) TT&C support to satellites launched from Sriharikota right from the lift-off stage till the satellite
injection stage. This includes range tracking support for satellite injection, monitoring and preliminary
orbit determination.
2) TT&C support including housekeeping data acquisition throughout the mission lifetime for low Earth
orbiting satellites, their health monitoring operations and control operations.
3) Data reception and processing from scientific payloads for payload analysts.
4) TT&C support to international space agencies under commercial arrangements through the Antrix
Corporation.
