Satellite TT & C over M2M/IoT: the new frontier of the space network applications

Satellite operations involve a terrestrial network for tracking, telemetry and control (TT &C) that provides a connection between the satellite itself and the facilities to control and manage it. In particular the telemetries are necessary to monitor the satellite during its operative life. A mission's concept of operations (CONOPS) is heavily driven by the available TT &C infrastructure on ground and vice versa. However, the emergence of satellite configured in LEO/MEO constellations, that provide M2M/IoT services directly in the space gives new opportunities of rethinking satellite operations and TT &C networks. This paper describes the innovative and original work performed in the project titled “Satellite telemetry and control using space IoT networks for small satellites” (CoRAL), supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) that implements and tests the above introduced new way to handle the TT&C.