THE GEOSAT-1 GROUND STATION

Abstract

Radar altimetry data for the Navy GEOSAT-1 Mission are acquired by a single ground station that also archives, preprocesses, and distributes the data. The ground station, located at the Applied Physics Laboratory in central Maryland, commands and controls the spacecraft and monitors its health and status. Because satellite altimetry data transmitted during any pass over the ground station are unique in terms of ocean surface coverage, there is a program requirement for a 24-hour-per-day operational station with a high degree of reliability and maintainability. The spacecraft command and health monitoring functions are free from single point failures, and automation is used to reduce operator error. Store and forward techniques are used extensively to minimize altimetry data loss and to facilitate recovery from failures.