Gaganyaan: Proof-of-concept to use Amazon ground stations done; No final decision yet

BENGALURU: Isro, which is looking to firm up agreements for a network of ground stations from around the world for telemetry, tracking and command (TTC) operations for Gaganyaan, has completed a proof-of-concept (PoC) for utilising Jeff Bezos’ US-based Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) ground stations.
The PoC was demonstrated by testing one of the AWS ground stations for carrying out TTC operations of the SARAL satellite.Isro chairman S Somanath told TOI: “We have done the tests to see whether we can use their ground stations but no final decision has been taken as yet.”
According to Isro, the overall TTC network plan for end-to-end Gaganyaan mission, including ascent, on-orbit and descent phase has been finalised.
“A ship-borne terminal planned for TTC coverage in the ascent phase in order to provide better elevation compared to existing 8° elevation from Port Blair station. The IDRSS-2 (relay satellite) is planned to be relocated from 148° to 240° in order to provide 100% visibility coverage for the mission,” as per Isro’s plans.
As reported earlier by TOI, Isro is looking to use at least 40 ground stations — Indian and those belonging to other countries — to track astronauts when they travel around Earth aside from launching two relay satellites.
“Generally we only need a handful of stations to track our satellites. But for the human mission the entire orbit needs to be tracked, so we have already tied up with 40 stations around the world,” former Isro chairman K Sivan had earlier said, adding that these stations would still cover only 40% of the module’s orbit around Earth and the remaining 60% will be covered by the relay satellites.
Further, the implementation arrangement with Australian Space Agency (ASA) has been executed for establishing transportable TTC terminal at Cocos Island for ascent phase support.
TOI was the first to report that Isro and ASA were in talks for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands terminal, as part of continuing space co-operation between the two countries.
An ASA spokesperson had earlier told TOI from Adelaide that the ASA was also leading cross-government coordination on Isro’s request to place temporary ground station tracking facilities in the Cocos Islands to support Gaganyaan.
“This includes facilitating advice to Isro from a number of Commonwealth agencies which will need to grant approvals for the project to go ahead,” the spokesperson had said.
Aside from this, Isro said that the information security features in the onboard as well as ground communication systems of Gaganyaan, the human-rated launch vehicle (HRLV), orbital module and ground stations have been reviewed by former Isro chairman AS Kiran Kumar.