Lisbon, March 2009 1

SMOS Project Status

• Satellite (Payload & Platform)• Launcher• Ground Segment

– Mission Planning– Mission Control– X-band Receive Station– Data Processing Ground Segment– Processors

• System Integration & Test• Near Term Schedule

Lisbon, March 2009 2

Satellite

The fully integrated and tested satellite is in storage at Thales AleniaSpace, Cannes, since May 2008.

Regularly inspected

Qualification Review successfully completedOne reaction wheel showing some anomalous behaviour has been

replaced in the meantime

Major remaining activities:• Final torque of the antenna arms• Replacement of the thermal Germanium foil• Leak test of propulsion system

Lisbon, March 2009 3

Satellite

Lisbon, March 2009 4

Satellite

Lisbon, March 2009 5

Launcher

All launcher related review and test activities have been successfully completed:

• adapter fit check• mechanical qualification of upper composite (incl. PROBA-2)• Final Mission Analysis Review, with as main topics

– interface documentation launcher / satellite– trajectory for injection of SMOS and PROBA-2– coupled thermal analysis– safety submission

Remaining: programming of launcher control system & verificationcompletion of 3rd stage (BreezeKM) AIT

Lisbon, March 2009 6

Launcher

Lisbon, March 2009 7

Launcher

Lisbon, March 2009 8

Ground Segment: Mission Planning

The mission planning system defines the activities of space and ground segment units:

• Up- and downlink (S- and X-band) scenarios• Data dumps (automatic / scheduled, Svalbard and / or ESAC)• Orbit maintenance manoeuvres• Various calibration activities (internal / external, long / short)

Fully developed / tested, installed in ESAC & ESTEC (training and back-up)

Validated in SVT and GSOV testing

Lisbon, March 2009 9

Ground Segment: Mission Planning

Payload

Command & Control

Mission Planning (SPGF)

Data Processing Ground Segment

Satellite

Command & Control

Kiru

na

Sva

lbar

d

Aus

sagu

el

ES

AC

X-band

S-band

ESAC

ToulouseESACESAC

Lisbon, March 2009 10

Ground Segment: Mission Control

The overall Mission Control consists in a number of facilities / installations: • Payload Command and Control at ESAC• Satellite Command and Control center at Toulouse • S-band stations for command uplink and telemetry reception, at Kiruma

(S) and Aussaguel (F)• and the network connections in between• Simulators for payload (MIRASIM) and Satellite (PRESTO)

Except for the payload elements PLPC and MIRASIM, the facilities are generic for the PROTEUS family, suitably adapted.

End-to-end testing in three “System Validation Test” (SVT) campaigns, all very successful.

Ongoing: LEOP dress rehearsals (nominal & emergencies)long term routine (~2 weeks)

Lisbon, March 2009 11

Ground Segment: Mission Control

Lisbon, March 2009 12

Ground Segment: X-Band Receive Stations

There are two receive stations for “science data” coming down in X-band:• Svalbard, in Spitsbergen (N), commercial by Kongsberg (SA)• X-bas, in ESAC (Spain)

Both antennas have been formally accepted, with the following observations:

• Svalbard is an existing antenna, with only demodulator / data acquisition being new (due to the SMOS format)Okay, but duration of testing quite limited.

• X-bas, new antenna, since long installed and test operated on CNES“Demeter” satellite.Lack of stability in long-term operations. Testing / debugging continues with Demeter.

Lisbon, March 2009 13

Ground Segment: X-and Receive Stations

Lisbon, March 2009 14

Ground Segment: X-and Receive Stations

Lisbon, March 2009 15

Ground Segment: Data Processing Ground Segment (DPGS)

The DPGS is a rather complex system with many elements / facilities, distributed over various sites:

• Acquisition stations: Svalbard and / or ESAC• Level 0 processor: sorting / cutting downlink passes to products,

appending aux data (geolocation, met, TEC, …)• Level 1 (brightness temp.) and level 2 processing (SM and OS)• Orchestrating the production process: PDPC core• Archiving & distribution• Product quality control (SPQC)• Mission and instrument monitoring (MF)• Long-term archiving• Reprocessing facility

Version 2 of this system has been tested. Software bug fixing and facility upgrade installation in progress → Version 3

Lisbon, March 2009 16

Ground Segment: Processors

Various processors :Level 1: prototype, operational processor, NRT processorLevel 2: soil moisture, ocean salinity

Some of these will be demonstrated during the poster session of this workshop.

In principle, by the end of this month, all launch versions should be available!

Lisbon, March 2009 17

System Integration & Test

• Flight Operations Segment Test nearly completed (re-run of some redundant connections, LEOP dress rehearsal)

• System Validation Tests (in which control center commands the real satellite): 3 runs, very successful

• Ground Segment Overall Validation (GSOV) progressing stepwise: major “missing” block is DPGS. But even for this there is gradual progress!

• Aim: freeze of tested / validated GS 6 weeks prior to launch.

Lisbon, March 2009 18

Near Term Schedule

Next week: GOCE Launch from PlesetskConfirmation of SMOS Launch date

Present “launch month” is July 2009, working assumption for the day is16 July 2009

Up to then:• Finalisation of launch campaign planning & preparations• Press day• Finalisation of satellite activities (see first slide)• Finalisation of FOS testing (LEOP dress rehearsal, long term)• Flight Acceptance Review• Packing• Transportation to Archangelsk / Plesetsk• Finalisation of Data Processing Ground Segment integration & test