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Russian Space Troops Mission Control Centre Carries Link-Up With Satellite

Posted on: Friday, 25 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

Text of report by Russian Ren TV on 20 June

[Presenter] The Titov Main Testing Centre [in Krasnoznamensk] is switching over to a new system of space control. The centre coordinates the work of cosmodromes [launch sites] and all services that contribute to satellite launches, and manages the orbital group. Our TV crew was present during the centre's communication link-up with a military satellite. Space Troops officers call the checking onboard systems a task of utmost importance. Our correspondent Alevtina Polyakova has the details.

[Correspondent] The duty officer gives orders and within seconds computers start displaying columns of figures and a graph resembling an electrocardiogram appears on the video display wall. Officers are looking at it constantly, like surgeons during an operation. If this amber bar starts oscillating, the command post will raise an alarm. It means that somewhere at an altitude of several hundred kilometres the equipment onboard our military satellite has failed. All staff of the operations headquarters will join in efforts to eliminate the defect.

The Titov Space Troops Main Testing Centre acts in the interests of all [branches of] the armed forces. Satellites are part of the national space and missile defence system. The government communications, reconnaissance and navigation depend on the centre's work.

Ballistic missile launches are controlled from space. During our filming, the officers established link-up with a satellite launched several days ago in the interests of the Defence Ministry. The orbital newcomer's equipment was tested. In their professional jargon they call it a task of exceptional importance.

[Col Andrey Tsigichko, captioned as senior duty officer] All procedures have been fully tested remotely from the ground. Following the results of the communication link-up we concluded that the operating programme had been uploaded on board [the satellite]. All onboard systems parameters are within the norm.

[Correspondent] By command from the ground, they raise the spacecraft's orbit and switch it back to the default mode. They can even "teach" the satellite to fly should it turn upside-down after the launch.

The officers seem to work in a calm and serene atmosphere. It is a false impression, though. A total of 700 communication link-ups are scheduled for a 24 hour shift. The officers are allowed up to four hours of rest during their shift. However, sometimes they do not have a break at all. Here, the strain of round the clock shifts is measured in seconds.

[Eduard Kapitonov, captioned as a researcher of the state scientific amalgamation Orion] A satellite moves at speeds of approximately 7 km per second. If you are one second wrong, you will see the satellite seven km off the point at which you aim the aerial.

[Correspondent] We were filming the millionth communication link- up since 2002. That year, electronic systems at the Titov centre were upgraded and all data transferred to compact memory drives.

To demonstrate the technological leap forward, they showed us the old method. This equipment was used in the 1960s. It is a plotting [chart] board and is kept as a relic. Tracing paper was put on it and a satellite trajectory was drawn separately. Then, it was superimposed on the equator and the altitude and longitude were measured.

Now, scientists say with an enigmatic smile, they are working on artificial space intelligence. The system of the future will not only be able to register all spacecraft parameters but to take decisions in an emergency.

However, the final say, the military insist, will rest with human beings

[c/r 1306-1547 Video shows mission control console, video display wall, officers watching computer graphs, making phone calls, satellite dishes, tracking ship, satellite launch, computer generated images, exterior of the centre.]

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