COMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECTURE FOR THE AIR FORCE SATELLITE CONTROL NETWORK (AFSCN)

Abstract

The Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) provides real-time telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) services for the Department of Defense (DoD) space systems. It consists of a worldwide network of Remote Tracking Stations (RTSs), the Air Force Satellite Test Center (STC), at Sunnyvale, California, and the soon to be completed Consolidated Space Operations Center (CSOC), located near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The object of this paper is to present an overview of the wideband communications systems which provide connectivity between these elements, and the planned evolution of the communications architecture required to support future growth.