Spacecraft/ground architectures using Internet protocols to facilitate autonomous mission operations

This paper describes utilizing Internet Protocols (IP) in the overall spacecraft/ground communications architecture for operating and receiving data from future low cost, highly capable, self-sufficient spacecraft. It describes integrated and distributed architectures for those spacecraft, architectures for the ground stations, and concepts for operating the spacecraft, communications, and ground systems. Included is a discussion of how a spacecraft´s communication to the ground can be initiated on demand by the spacecraft itself, or by a spacecraft instrument or subsystem user. These concepts are extensions of those described for the future in the Consolidated Space Operations Contract (CSOC) Architecture Baseline document