When I walked to the office of Eutelsat satellite operator anticipating a tour on the Satellite Control Center, I was expecting to see a large hall, huge machines with sensors, switches and displays like in fiction movies.
But the reality as usual turned to be much more prosaic. The Control Center that monitors Eutelsat’s immense satellite fleet occupies just several rooms in the company’s head-office in Paris. If it were not atmosphere for the utmost secrecy, it would be possible to think that I accidentally dropped on normal open space office. Tables, common-looking computers, smiling staff…
First, we entered a b2b call-center serving for customers like TV channels, operators etc. The staff of this call-center doesn’t have any access to machinery control, so it just transmits data to the satellite control center, which is next door.
The head-office in Paris controls 27 satellites, and just a few satellites are operated by other control centers in Mexico.
There is a “single screen per satellite” approach. Each satellite is assigned a dedicated position and all satellites are arranged by platform design, then longitude. However, all the SCC control positions are highly configurable, and they have also redundancy.
There are also the ground segment control systems located on single “ground workbench”.
Computer displays feature all the data about satellites, the sensors take readings and transmit continuous signals form the space. Complex software monitors the satellites’ condition by assessing many characteristics (temperature, position in orbit etc.), thus in case of any abnormality the system immediately announces it in the form of computer’s “crying” almost like Tamagotchi. The Center’s staff checks what happened at once and runs software to repair the failures. The diagnostic and corrective algorithms are prepared for any occasion.
Access to the computers is provided only by fingerprints. Under the permission of the staff I tried to “operate” a satellite. As might be expected I didn’t manage to do it, remaining not “recognized” by computer.
In Rambouillet, a suburb of Paris, there is situated a control center. It is prepared to assume control at any moment, in the event of flood (the office is near the Seine, but floods never happened) or other contingencies.
The control centre in Rambouillet operates as a back-up. On a monthly basis they carry out tests at the Rambouillet teleport to validate all the functions including equipment, software, connectivity etc.
Once a satellite has completed its operational life they transfer it between 200 and 300 km higher than geostationary orbit. This orbit is generally called the graveyard orbit. The satellite industry does this in order to preserve the geostationary orbit for operating satellites and to lower the probability of collisions with operational spacecraft that would increase space debris. Once the satellites have reached the desired altitude their tanks are emptied and electronics switched off. They continue to orbit. All the process is also controlled from the Control Centre.
Maria Theresa Fernandez, Deputy SCC (spacecraft control centre) operations manager, told us how they search for and train the Center’s staff. This work requires certain psychological traits, stress resistance and concentration. «Satellites don’t celebrate Christmas, do not recognize days and nights, or days off. It’s required to be ready any time. In case of a slightest failure, the whole company’s attention is focused on us and everyone comes running to us. A problem is to be settled as fast as possible without any mistake acceptable. So it’s very important for a person to keep his head for acting pursuant to complex processes», – Maria Theresa says.
Fully training an employee requires two years. This is a long-term process. First, the selected applicant is trained during half a year and then works side by side with experienced staff. A lot of time is spared for coaching and training. The Center carries out regular training alerts with recording time required for repairing failures. There is assigned a special room for trainings, where a computer sounds an alarm and the staff repairs imaginary failures. The situation appears real, but the satellites operate well.
The control centre is permanently manned by at least two controllers at all times. Nominally a team of 17. Second line expert support for both space and ground segments is constantly on hand.
Eutelsat often recruits staff form various countries, and the advantage of this staffing policy lies in the opportunity for everyone to suggest different approaches to solve problems, what will ensure a multiplicity of actions. For instance the great story teller Maria Teresa is native of Spain, bringing warmth of her country into a dry concentrated atmosphere of the Control Center. One may call dryish just workflows, and as for the rest it’s cozy enough, having even kitchen and shower and all for the comfort of staff whom it depends on so much.
