Space operations and data system for the H-II and space station era☆

Abstract The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) is now pursuing space operations and data system (SODS) as a next generation tracking and data acquisition system for the H-II and Space Station era. One of the important points of the SODS concept is the utilization of Japanese own data relay and tracking satellite system (DRTSS). The DRTSS is quite effective to obtain continuous and high rate data from low altitude Earth orbiting satellites. Because the mission achievement of many DRTSS user satellites depends on DRTSS, very high reliability of the system is required. Interoperability among the DRTSSs of space agencies is therefore very desirable in order to increase their reliability with least redundancy. This paper describes the conceptual plan of the SODS emphasizing DRTSS and also summarizes NASDA's basic idea concerning network interoperability.