🚀 Aerospace & Space · Network
Satellite Ground Station Network
How an earth-observation satellite operator talks to its satellites: ground stations around the world, the mission control centre and the data processing centre.
Drawing diagram…
What this diagram shows
- Several ground stations so the satellite is reachable on more passes
- Commands go up on S-band, imagery comes down on X-band
- Mission control and data processing are separated by a firewall
Prompt used
Network topology for a satellite operator: satellites in low earth orbit pass over three ground stations (India, Norway, Chile). Each station has an antenna, S-band for telemetry and commands, X-band for payload data, and a baseband unit. Stations connect over a secure WAN to the mission control centre (flight dynamics, command and control, telemetry monitoring) and to the payload data processing centre, which stores and processes imagery and delivers it to customers through a portal.
Mermaid code
flowchart LR
SAT((LEO Satellite))
subgraph GS1[Ground Station - India]
A1[Antenna S/X-band] --- B1[Baseband Unit]
end
subgraph GS2[Ground Station - Norway]
A2[Antenna S/X-band] --- B2[Baseband Unit]
end
subgraph GS3[Ground Station - Chile]
A3[Antenna S/X-band] --- B3[Baseband Unit]
end
SAT -.S-band telemetry / commands.- A1
SAT -.X-band imagery.- A2
SAT -.S/X-band.- A3
B1 --- WAN[Secure WAN]
B2 --- WAN
B3 --- WAN
subgraph MCC[Mission Control Centre]
FD[Flight Dynamics]
CC[Command and Control]
TM[Telemetry Monitoring]
end
subgraph PDC[Payload Data Centre]
PROC[Image Processing]
ARCH[(Image Archive)]
end
WAN --- CC
CC --- FD
CC --- TM
WAN --- FW{{Firewall}} --- PROC
PROC --- ARCH
ARCH --- PORTAL[Customer Portal]Related templates
Launch Vehicle Flight Phases
The phases of a rocket launch from countdown to payload separation, with holds, aborts and the flight termination path.
Aircraft Manufacturing Supply Chain
How an aircraft is built from a global supply chain: tier suppliers, major assemblies, final assembly, testing and delivery.
Spacecraft Telemetry Data Flow
How telemetry from a spacecraft is received, decoded, checked against limits and archived, and how commands go back up.
Satellite Constellation Operations
The ground software for operating a satellite constellation: mission planning, flight dynamics, contact scheduling, command and control, and payload delivery.
Aircraft MRO Parts and Maintenance Schema
A schema for aircraft maintenance: aircraft, installed components with life limits, maintenance tasks, work packages and parts inventory.
Satellite Command Uplink Sequence
How an operator sends a command to a satellite: planning, authorisation, uplink during a pass and telemetry confirmation.