The Ground Segment architecture for GOES-R

Continuity of the GOES mission and improvement of its remotely-sensed environmental data will be provided by the next generation of NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system, Series R (GOES-R). GOES-R as a system will have both Space and a Ground Segments. The Space Segment consists of the spacecraft bus, its remote-sensing instruments, and communications payloads; while the Ground Segment consists of all Earth-based functions, including satellite operations, user product generation, and product distribution. This paper presents an overview of the GOES-R Ground Segment (GS) architecture as it continues to evolve consistent with the GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP) approved requirements documents.

GOES-R Ground Segment operations will be performed at three sites. The first is the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF) in Suitland, MD which houses the primary Mission Management (MM), and selected Enterprise Management (EM), Product Generation (PG), and Product Distribution (PD) functions. The Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS), located in Wallops, VA, provides primary space communications services, EM and MM functions, and selected PG and PD functions. The third site is a geographically separated remote backup facility (RBU) to be located at Fairmont, WV.

This concept allows the Enterprise Management element to have available a wide range of capabilities governed by operations policy rather than the need for system upgrades. In the event of an emergency, control of satellite operations can be transferred immediately from NSOF to the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Site. Service Based Architecture concepts within the Product Generation (PG) element provide service interaction capabilities for product generation with only a fraction of the necessary overhead.