Design of a Science Operations Centre for the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter Mission A. Cardesin Moinelo, D. Frew, L. Metcalfe, P. Martin, N. Manaud, A. Villacorta, J. Brumfitt (1) and O. Witasse (2) (1) ESA-ESAC, European Space Astronomy Centre, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain (2) ESA-ESTEC, European Space Research Centre, Norwijk, The Netherlands Introduction Abstract This contribution describes the design of the Science Operations Centre being developed at the European Space and Astronomy Centre (ESAC) for the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter mission. This technical contribution describes the assumptions and design decisions that have been taken in order to meet all the scientific requirements of the mission considering the tight schedule imposed by the launch date in early In order to meet all the requirements, the system design takes advantage of the existing expertise and the tools available from previous planetary missions, which will serve as a solid starting point for the development of the core critical elements of the science operations uplink system. Additionally the system design is taking advantage of the collaboration with other development frameworks existing at ESAC for future planetary missions and the further support obtained by the Russian collaboration establishing synergies and improving the baseline core system with advanced state-of-the-art techniques and methods. Uplink System ExoMars 2016 Ground Segment ExoMars 2016 Mission The first mission of the ExoMars programme consists of a Trace Gas Orbiter plus an Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) that will be launched together in January 2016 on a Proton rocket and will fly to Mars in a mated configuration scheduled for arrival after a 9-month cruise phase. Three days before reaching the atmosphere of Mars, the EDM will be ejected from the Orbiter entering the Martian atmosphere and landing on the surface of the planet. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter will be inserted into an elliptical orbit around Mars and then sweep through the atmosphere during a long aerobraking phase of several months to finally settle into a circular, ~400km altitude orbit ready to conduct its scientific mission starting in late The main objectives of this mission are to search for evidence of trace atmospheric gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological processes and to test key technologies in preparation for ESA's contribution to subsequent missions to Mars. The Trace Gas Orbiter will also serve as a data relay asset for the 2018 rover mission of the ExoMars programme until the end of SegmentStakeholderInterface Science Management Project Scientist Science management and main interface to principal investigators  Assessment and approval of science plans Science Working Team  Definition, refinement and categorization of science goals  Identification of contributing observations MOC Mission Operations Centre Data Systems  Distribution of science and housekeeping telemetry  Distribution of auxiliary data products Mission Planning  Validation of payload operations timelines  Implementation of spacecraft timelines  Spacecraft-ground communication schedules  Generation of time correlation information  Provision of spacecraft and ground system configuration Flight Dynamics  Validation of spacecraft attitude timelines  Implementation of spacecraft trajectory and orientation.  Production of spacecraft auxiliary data products  Provision of spacecraft trajectory and attitude rules and constraints SGS Science Ground Segment Instrument Team Payload operation and achievement of science objectives:  Definition of science observations  Refinement of science observation timelines  Handling and archiving of science products Science Archives Team  Long term archiving of science data  Dissemination of science data products to science community Russian SOC (NNK)  Visibility of Science Operations Uplink system  Support to downlink system on instrument data handling  Replication of Deep Science Archive SystemFunctionalityMain Capabilities Uplink Opportunity Analysis  Definition of the contributing observation conditions with expert instrument team support  Calculation of science opportunities defined by geometrical and operational conditions  Analysis of opportunity events based on contextual geometrical and operational information. Scheduling and Planning  Support the science working team and the instrument teams in the preparation of the science plans.  Scheduling of the science observations timeline, assigning times for each observation operation.  Definition of the detailed observation timelines, including instrument pointing, operations and resource profiles. Plan Simulation  Simulation of the operations plan for the payload and spacecraft models.  Computation of all geometry parameters, operational timeline and resource profiles. Plan Validation  Validation of the operations plan within all payload and spacecraft constraints.  Validation of all geometrical, operational and resource checks. Product Generation  Generate all operational products for the Long/Medium/Short Term Planning for iteration with the PI teams  Export of the observation timeline into MOC compatible request formats (POR/PTR) Auxiliary Data Conversion  Convert SOC planning products and MOC products to SPICE format  Make auxiliary spacecraft data available to the instrument teams in SPICE format Operations Data Management  Configuration and management of observation definitions and plans  Configuration and management of instrument and spacecraft models  Configuration and management of system constraints and settings  Validation of submitted observation timelines Downlink Data Handling  Data Acquisition of science and housekeeping telemetry from the ESOC Data Dissemination System  Data Processing of the input telemetry to generate PDS4 raw science and housekeeping data products.  Data acquisition and processing of auxiliary data: Events, Out-of-Limits, TM gap reports, etc Archiving  Generation of PDS4 data bundles from PDS4 science and housekeeping data products at all processing levels.  Validation and Ingestion of PDS 4 bundle data at all data processing levels.  Validation and archiving of calibrated data delivered by PI teams Feedback* Observations Log Database  List of planned observations  Traceability of operations and data processing  Planning, execution and data processing status  Geometric, scientific and instrument performance quality control  Monitoring of science coverage goals Science Quick-Look  Quick-look visualization of science data to identify problems and issues relevant to science planning in order to allow rapid corrections or rescheduling Engineering Housekeeping Monitoring  Monitoring of engineering data to identify problems and issues relevant to science planning in order to allow rapid corrections or rescheduling TGO InstrumentScience Objectives ACS (Atmospheric Chemistry Suite) This suite of 3 infrared instruments will investigate the chemistry and structure of the Martian atmosphere. ACS will complement NOMAD by extending the coverage at infrared wavelengths, and by taking images of the Sun to better analyse the solar occultation data. CaSSIS (Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System) A high-resolution camera (5 metres per pixel) capable of obtaining colour and stereo images over a wide swathe. CaSSIS will provide the geological and dynamical context for sources or sinks of trace gases detected by NOMAD and ACS. FREND (Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector) This neutron detector will be used to map the presence of hydrogen on the Martian surface, targeting deposits of near-surface water ice. NOMAD (Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery) A spectrometer suite, covering a wide range of wavelengths (including infrared to ultraviolet), to identify the components of the Martian atmosphere. Ground Segment Architecture Ground Segment Parties Science Ground Segment Top Level Design ExoMars 2016 Science Operations Centre Design SGS Data Archiving Sub-System Design SGS Data Handling: Acquisition and Processing System SGS Uplink System ArchitectureSGS Centralized Uplink Processes Downlink System *Feedback processes are considered “Optional/Enhanced Design”, and are not described here as they will not be implemented in the first stage. They are considered only here as non-critical processes that could extend the future SOC capabilities if available during the science phase of the mission. System and Sub-System Functionalities