CYGNSS MOC; Meeting the challenge of constellation operations in a cost-constrained world

The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS), selected as part of NASA's Earth Venture program and launching in 2016, will use an 8 observatory micro-satellite constellation to enhance the understanding of tropical cyclone intensity development. Operating the CYGNSS constellation in a cost effective manner is a fundamental cornerstone of achieving significant science return in a cost-constrained environment. The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed an innovative Mission Operations Center (MOC) designed to accommodate the constellation's significant planning and data downlink requirements [2]. The large number of data downlink opportunities necessitates a MOC that can easily identify and schedule ground contacts, and autonomously run the ground contact events from initiation of acquisition to delivery of the L0 science data. This paper will discuss the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and Government off-the-shelf (GOTS) tools leveraged, as well as in-house developed software that allow the CYGNSS MOC to meet the constellation operational challenge in a cost effective manner.