UzayMP: Modular mission planning tool for earth observation satellites with imaging payload

Abstract

Tübitak Uzay (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Space Technologies Research Institute) has acquired significant experience of designing, building and operating earth observation satellites for over a decade. Currently, a new generation ground station software suite is under development. The suite is developed in-house and can easily be adapted for other earth observation satellites. A modular mission planning tool named UzayMP, takes place in the suite. UzayMP lowers the operational costs, simplifies the operators' job, enables realization of high quality imaging missions and supports lifecycle of the satellite, with the possibility of adaptation for future satellite missions. The software generates conflict-free single or multi imaging mission scheduling files, which include sequences of telecommands, for the imaging targets requested by the operator. It also generates conflict-free transmission and system task plans in the specified time interval.