Eric Miller

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California 

Phillip E. Paulsen

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Michael Pasciuto

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 

Autonomous Satellite Operations Via 

Secure Virtual Mission Operations Center

NASA/TM—2011-216944

January 2011

IGARSS 2010–4438
NASA STI Program . . . in Profi le

Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to the 

advancement of aeronautics and space science. The 

NASA Scientifi c and Technical Information (STI) 

program plays a key part in helping NASA maintain 

this important role.

The NASA STI Program operates under the auspices 

of the Agency Chief Information Offi cer. It collects, 

organizes, provides for archiving, and disseminates 

NASA’s STI. The NASA STI program provides access 

to the NASA Aeronautics and Space Database and 

its public interface, the NASA Technical Reports 

Server, thus providing one of the largest collections 

of aeronautical and space science STI in the world. 

Results are published in both non-NASA channels 

and by NASA in the NASA STI Report Series, which 

includes the following report types:

• TECHNICAL PUBLICATION. Reports of 

completed research or a major signifi cant phase 

of research that present the results of NASA 

programs and include extensive data or theoretical 

analysis. Includes compilations of signifi cant 

scientifi c and technical data and information 

deemed to be of continuing reference value. 

NASA counterpart of peer-reviewed formal 

professional papers but has less stringent 

limitations on manuscript length and extent of 

graphic presentations.

• TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM. Scientifi c 

and technical fi ndings that are preliminary or 

of specialized interest, e.g., quick release 

reports, working papers, and bibliographies that 

contain minimal annotation. Does not contain 

extensive analysis.

• CONTRACTOR REPORT. Scientifi c and 

technical fi ndings by NASA-sponsored 

contractors and grantees.

• CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. Collected 

papers from scientifi c and technical 

conferences, symposia, seminars, or other 

meetings sponsored or cosponsored by NASA.

• SPECIAL PUBLICATION. Scientifi c, 

technical, or historical information from 

NASA programs, projects, and missions, often 

concerned with subjects having substantial 

public interest.

• TECHNICAL TRANSLATION. Englishlanguage translations of foreign scientifi c and 

technical material pertinent to NASA’s mission.

Specialized services also include creating custom 

thesauri, building customized databases, organizing 

and publishing research results.

For more information about the NASA STI 

program, see the following:

• Access the NASA STI program home page at 

http://www.sti.nasa.gov

• E-mail your question via the Internet to help@

sti.nasa.gov

• Fax your question to the NASA STI Help Desk 

at 443–757–5803

• Telephone the NASA STI Help Desk at

 443–757–5802

• Write to:

 NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI)

 7115 Standard Drive

 Hanover, MD 21076–1320
Eric Miller

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California 

Phillip E. Paulsen

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Michael Pasciuto

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 

Autonomous Satellite Operations Via 

Secure Virtual Mission Operations Center

NASA/TM—2011-216944

January 2011

IGARSS 2010–4438

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Prepared for the

2010 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

cosponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Geoscience and Remote 

Sensing Society

Honolulu, Hawaii, July 25–30, 2010
Available from

NASA Center for Aerospace Information

7115 Standard Drive

Hanover, MD 21076–1320

National Technical Information Service

5301 Shawnee Road

Alexandria, VA 22312

Available electronically at http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov

Trade names and trademarks are used in this report for identifi cation 

only. Their usage does not constitute an offi cial endorsement, 

either expressed or implied, by the National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration.

Level of Review: This material has been technically reviewed by technical management. 

This report is a formal draft or working 

paper, intended to solicit comments and 

ideas from a technical peer group.
NASA/TM—2011-216944 1

Autonomous Satellite Operations Via 

Secure Virtual Mission Operations Center

Eric Miller

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California 93437

Phillip E. Paulsen

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Michael Pasciuto

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center

Greenbelt, Maryland 20771

Abstract

The science community is interested in improving their 

ability to respond to rapidly evolving, transient phenomena via 

autonomous rapid reconfiguration, which derives from the 

ability to assemble separate but collaborating sensors and data 

forecasting systems to meet a broad range of research and 

application needs. Current satellite systems typically require 

human intervention to respond to triggers from dissimilar 

sensor systems. Additionally, satellite ground services often 

need to be coordinated days or weeks in advance. Finally, the 

boundaries between the various sensor systems that make up 

such a Sensor Web are defined by such things as link delay 

and connectivity, data and error rate asymmetry, data 

reliability, quality of service provisions, and trust, 

complicating autonomous operations. Over the past 10 years, 

researchers from the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), 

General Dynamics, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited 

(SSTL), Cisco, Universal Space Networks (USN), the U.S.

Geological Survey (USGS), the Naval Research Laboratory, 

the DoD Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office, and 

others have worked collaboratively to develop a “virtual” 

mission operations capability. Called “VMOC” (Virtual 

Mission Operations Center), this new capability allows crosssystem queuing of dissimilar mission unique systems through 

the use of a common security scheme and published 

application programming interfaces (APIs). Collaborative 

VMOC demonstrations over the last several years have 

supported the standardization of spacecraft to ground 

interfaces needed to reduce costs, maximize space effects to 

the user, and allow the generation of new tactics, techniques 

and procedures that lead to responsive space employment.

Towards Operationally Responsive 

Space: An Emerging Architecture

Development of an operationally responsive space 

architecture is a technically difficult task. With notably few 

exceptions, space platform architectures are paired with 

mission specific ground infrastructures designed to optimize 

the interface. While these stovepipes are efficient within 

themselves, they don’t allow for a common user access, 

prioritization, multi-mission management, or cross platform 

connectivity. Improvements are needed across the ground 

infrastructure to derive the capability and status of mission 

asset (such as constellation health), current tasking levels, 

ground station availability, and impacts due to operations. 

Without detailed knowledge of the platforms state and 

capabilities, rapid theater level tasking would need to be 

limited to reduce risk to the platform. Responsive space 

operations need robust tools that can track current conditions, 

receive real-time requests from the field, predict future 

mission capabilities, correct for limitations, and automate 

information flow. This is particularly relevant when dealing 

with dynamically taskable assets operating in dissimilar 

environments (on the ground, at sea, in the air, near space, and 

in space. Collaborative operations across multiple sensor 

systems will provide timely access to effects that have never 

been available through the current stovepipe architectures and 

will lead to more and better science for the community.

The Virtual Mission Operations Center is one tool that is 

being developed to support dynamically taskable assets that 

are the key to the success of responsive space operations.
NASA/TM—2011-216944 2

VMOC Background

The Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC) system is 

a software based platform to incubate, mature, and transition 

new and relevant technologies and concepts of operations via 

continuous operational experimentation. It was originally 

sponsored by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office 

(ESTO) and is now sponsored by the Office of Naval 

Research (ONR) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense 

(OSD) to explore and document the capabilities related to 

Operationally Responsive Space (ORS), multi-sensor 

networks, and user collaboration. The Naval Research 

Laboratory (NRL) has been designated program manager for 

the current initiative. The VMOC system has already 

participated in several demonstrations, experiments, and

exercises that have helped to shape and mature the technology.

The original VMOC concept began in 2000 and by 2004 

had four teams focusing on individual aspects of responsive 

space. The NASA team addressed Internet Protocol (IP) based 

command and control, the AF Space Battle Lab team focused 

on prioritized multi mission operations, the Army Space Battle 

Lab team addressed theater level platform access, and the 

NRL team addressed broad based user access, collaboration, 

and operational experimentation. 

In FY2008 the teams merged under the NRL to focus on 

integration of all the elements into a system of systems 

addressing the tasking portion of Responsive Space Tasking, 

Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination 

(TCPED).

In FY2010 the VMOC begins operations supporting two 

missions: the TacSat-4 communications relay and the ORS-1 

Electro-Optical (EO) and Infrared (IR) sensor platform. In 

both cases, user requests are entered via a web-based interface, 

vetted by known prioritization schemes, and provided status 

on their task through all steps of the process from schedule to 

upload, tasking, downlink, and processing. 

VMOC System

Responsive space requires all system segments to work 

together effectively to support operational users. The intent is 

to begin standardizing the spacecraft to ground interfaces 

needed to reduce costs, maximize space effects to the user, 

and allow the generation of tactics techniques and procedures 

(TTPs) that lead to responsive space employment. The VMOC 

system is comprised of three large components designated as 

tactical, mission, and apportionment and is represented in 

Figure 1. Each component provides specific capabilities and is 

tailored to a specific user base. The tactical component is 

designed to support multi-sensor access and collaboration 

among a diverse user community. The mission component 

provides support for platform management, sensor access, data 

storage, processing, and sharing while the apportionment 

component provides automated support, with man on the loop 

for user prioritization of ORS assets.

Figure 1.—VMOC system of systems.

Specifics of each component are as follows:

Tactical VMOC: Enable the Users

The new operationally responsive system architecture must 

encompass a robust community of networked sensors and users. 

This tiering of a wide variety of sensors and people will result in 

synergies that do not emerge in small user communities or 

monolithic systems. In addition, this architecture will spur the 

development and maturity of more complex operations concepts

that will accentuate and prioritize the strengths and uniqueness 

of the collaborative systems and their diverse user base. 

Therefore, a system is needed that can lower the barriers of 

entry for access to space based capabilities and explore, 

develop, and mature new methods of employment within a 

multi-sensor framework. The tactical component of VMOC was 

developed to meet that need.

The tactical server allows non-space savvy users the ability to:

• Task, track, and receive data from multiple ORS sources

• Manage user accounts and assign privileges

• Subscribe to data feeds from air, surface, human, and 

space sources including ORS assets

• Use collaboration tools, establish workgroups, and work 

in virtual teams and

• Interface with the apportionment and mission VMOC 

elements.

Mission VMOC: Mange the Sensors

Scalability, reduction of non-recurring costs, and responsive 

access to dedicated capabilities are the main principles that 

will allow for successful execution of the new initiative. The 

adherence to these principles is never more critical than in the 

operation of combined system assets. Specifically, the addition 

of new satellites into the community of sensors and users must 

not come at an unreasonable cost in time, money, or 

manpower. These new satellites must cleanly integrate within 
NASA/TM—2011-216944 3

an architecture that exposes capabilities to a rich set of 

systems and users. To do this, the system must embrace the 

tenets of a service oriented architecture, automation, standard 

processing, and standard interfaces. Therefore, a system is 

needed that permits this addition and exposure of capabilities 

without negatively impacting the architecture or the user base. 

The mission component was designed to meet that need. 

The mission server provides services for tasking sensors, 

ingesting data feeds from third party providers, data 

processing and archiving, and data sharing. In this architecture 

there can be more than one Mission VMOC allowing for the 

tasking, data collection, and processing of multiple assets via 

web services. The services it provides includes but it not 

limited to:

• Multi mission planning

• Interface to multiple command generation systems

• Data ingestion and archiving

• Data processing and data feed generation as well as

• Interface with tactical users and space controllers

Apportionment VMOC: Establish the Rules

Currently, operations of space assets are the responsibility 

of the individual system owners. The current process, while 

highly effective for controlling and managing individual space 

systems, needs to be reconsidered in an operationally 

responsive construct, which aims to reduce the requirementstasking-effects cycle from 24 hours to hours or even minutes.

With that in mind, the Apportionment VMOC provides the

tools needed to automate the prioritization and allocation 

process of dynamically taskable assets. The VMOC 

Apportionment services allow collaborative science mission 

teams to dynamically apportion and prioritize collected assets. 

The services it provides include:

• Interfaces with data users to request asset apportionment

• Establishes standing apportionment requests

• Accounts for maintenance outages

• Supports apportionment of multiple ORS assets for 

effects based operations and

VMOC Strategic Roadmap

The VMOC strategic roadmap prioritized the efforts needed 

to achieve ORS initial operational capability by 2010. The 

strategic direction of the VMOC over the past two years was

categorized by integration, operational experimentation, and 

advocacy, leading to a transition to operations with the launch 

of two diverse missions.

Integration

The last four years have seen several complimentary VMOC 

architectures with each focusing on a specific aspect of netcentric operations. In FY08 the VMOC integration team began 

the integration of the three primary VMOC components: 

tactical, apportionment, and mission with a goal to mature the 

components to TRL 7. The integration encompassed a multiyear development effort with a near term focus on capabilities 

that resonated with the mission community.

Operational Experimentation

At the heart of VMOC development was a strategy to

execute an operational experimentation plan that includes 

VMOC training, limited objective experiments, and at least 

one large-scale exercise. This approach exposed select 

technologies in a relevant environment that served to educate 

and involve the community at large in the maturity of the 

VMOC initiative. The data collected from these venues was

used to mature the concept of operations and net centric 

technologies needed in the responsive space environment. The 

successful system of systems demonstration in 2008 lead to 

the ORS Office selecting the VMOC as the planning, tasking, 

scheduling, and sensor visualization tool for its 2015 Ground 

System Enterprise.

Autonomous Satellite Operations Experiment

The VMOC represents a completely new approach to 

integrated mission operations. By utilizing open standards and 

published APIs, VMOC allows mission unique systems to 

readily adapt and perform cross-platform queuing. VMOC 

also allows the use of a single network security solution and 

includes tools for things like the calculation and visualization 

of satellite orbital mechanics. Mission rules, codified within 

VMOC, prevent inadvertent or inappropriate operations (such 

as slewing a sensor across the sun) and provide prioritization 

at the user and command levels. VMOC can also provide 

standard telemetry displays (virtual strip charts, gas gauges, 

etc...) and annunciation. During a 2008 to 2009 GRC

experiment, Earthquake sensors provided by the USGS were 

used to trigger VMOC negotiations with flight systems 

provided by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) and 

ground systems provided by Universal Space Networks (in 

Alaska, Hawaii, and Australia). Delay Tolerant Networking 

(DTN) protocols, codified by GRC and SSTL, were also 

integrated into all systems.

Existing world-wide, ground-based earthquake sensor 

systems, fed to a threshold monitoring system, were used to 

trigger VMOC to begin the process of selecting appropriate 

satellite sensor systems (based on sensor type and orbital 

mechanics). Once the sensors were selected, VMOC 

autonomously negotiated machine-to-machine with their 

ground operations systems to determine sensor availability and 

resource limitations (satellite power, etc...). With satellite 

system negotiations successfully completed, VMOC then 

began the process of determining which commercial ground 

stations would be appropriate for up linking commands, and, 

later, down linking resulting data. Once selections were 

completed, VMOC then autonomously negotiated machine-tomachine with ground service provider systems to obtain the 
NASA/TM—2011-216944 4

services necessary, and to configure their antennas and 

equipment to track and communicate with the spacecraft

sensor systems. Finally, to minimize the impact of link delays 

and disruptions (common with satellite systems in low Earth 

orbit), new, “delay tolerant network” (DTN) protocols were 

utilized. These protocols autonomously compensated for rate 

mismatches between the high rate space-to-ground links and 

the lower rate ground connections as well as intermittent 

losses between system nodes.

Experiment Conclusions

Using triggers from the earthquake sensors (intentionally 

set at modest threshold values), satellite sensor collects and 

ground system operations were autonomously negotiated and 

implemented. All of the systems worked as predicted. In 

addition, the DTN protocols allowed both proactive and 

reactive fragmentation of large data files (hyperspectral 

images) as well as reliable, sequential data drops over multiple 

ground stations.

VMOC Way Forward

The VMOC’s path to space operations has followed a multiyear process that initiated from a need to make space capabilities 

more accessible to users and to dynamically manage space 

systems consistent with increasingly dynamic operations. There 

have been many lessons learned in developing a transformational 

space sensor tasking system that taxed current concepts of 

operations, external interfaces, and deployment strategies. With 

the technical hurtles being worked, the team also had to deal with 

new training and accreditation processes. VMOC is a core

element of the ORS Ground System Enterprise and will provide a 

scalable, dynamic, and flexible set of services to support and 

further the ORS vision. With the launch of the ORS-1 and 

TacSat-4 in November and December 2010, the VMOC will 

provide the only mechanism to task the missions. For TacSat-4, 

the VMOC is deployed at the Naval Research Lab and the NRL’s 

Blossom Point Satellite Operations Center (SOC) facility. For 

ORS-1 the VMOC is being deployed at SOC 11 at Schriever Air 

Force Base. The apportionment operations are at the 

STRATCOM’s Global Network Operations, and Joint Functional 

Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance, and 

Reconnaissance (JFCC ISR)/Space chains respectively.

Bibliography

Ivancic, William, et al., “Large-File Transfers from Space Using 

Multiple Ground Terminals and Delay Tolerant Networking,”

IEEE GlobeCom 2010, December 2010.

Ivancic, William, et al., “Virtual Mission Operations of Remote 

Sensors with Rapid Access To and From Space,” AIAA–2010–

2305, Huntsville, AL, SpaceOps 2010, April 26–30, 2010.

Miller, Eric, et al., “VMOC and ORS Ground System Enterprise 

Lessons Learned,” AIAA Responsive Space Conference No. 8, 

April 2010.

Walke, Jon G., et al., “Secure Autonomous Automated Scheduling 

(SAAS) Phase 1 Final Report,” NASA Contractor Report 

NASA/CR—2010-216097, March 2010.

Miller, Eric, et al., “Virtual Mission Operations Center: Transforming 

the conduct of space based operations,” International Command 

and Control Research and Technology Symposium, June 2009.

Miller, Eric, et al., “Virtual Mission Operations Center and ORS 

Ground System Enterprise,” AIAA Responsive Space Conference 

No. 7, April 2009.

Miller, Eric, et al., Virtual Mission Operations Center Explicit Access 

to Small Satellites by a Net Enabled User Base,” ESA Small 

Satellite Systems and Services Symposium, May 2008.

Miller, Eric, et al., “Virtual Mission Operations Center Integration: 

The Next Step in Development and Experimentation,” AIAA 

Responsive Space Conference No. 6, April 2008.

Ivancic, William, et al., “Secure, Autonomous, Intelligent Controller 

for Integrating Distributed Sensor Webs,” IEEE Aerospace 

Conference, March 2007.

Ivancic, William, et al. “Secure, Network-Centric Operations of a 

Space-Based Asset: Cisco Router in Low Earth Orbit (CLEO) 

and Virtual Missions Operations Center (VMOC),” NASA/TM—

2005-213556, May 2005.
REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved 

OMB No. 0704-0188 

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the 

data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this 

burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. 

Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 

1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY)

01-01-2011 

2. REPORT TYPE

Technical Memorandum 

3. DATES COVERED (From - To)

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Autonomous Satellite Operations Via Secure Virtual Mission Operations Center 

5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

5b. GRANT NUMBER

5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

6. AUTHOR(S)

Miller, Eric; Paulsen, Phillip, E.; Pasciuto, Michael 

5d. PROJECT NUMBER

5e. TASK NUMBER

5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER

WBS 430728.02.01.02 

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3191 

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

 REPORT NUMBER

E-17548 

9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Washington, DC 20546-0001 

10. SPONSORING/MONITOR'S

 ACRONYM(S)

NASA 

11. SPONSORING/MONITORING

 REPORT NUMBER

NASA/TM-2011-216944 

12. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Unclassified-Unlimited 

Subject Category: 17 

Available electronically at http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov 

This publication is available from the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 443-757-5802

13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

14. ABSTRACT

The science community is interested in improving their ability to respond to rapidly evolving, transient phenomena via autonomous rapid 

reconfiguration, which derives from the ability to assemble separate but collaborating sensors and data forecasting systems to meet a broad 

range of research and application needs. Current satellite systems typically require human intervention to respond to triggers from dissimilar 

sensor systems. Additionally, satellite ground services often need to be coordinated days or weeks in advance. Finally, the boundaries 

between the various sensor systems that make up such a Sensor Web are defined by such things as link delay and connectivity, data and 

error rate asymmetry, data reliability, quality of service provisions, and trust, complicating autonomous operations. Over the past ten years, 

researchers from the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), General Dynamics, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), Cisco, 

Universal Space Networks (USN), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Naval Research Laboratory, the DoD Operationally Responsive 

Space (ORS) Office, and others have worked collaboratively to develop a “virtual” mission operations capability. Called “VMOC” (Virtual 

Mission Operations Center), this new capability allows cross-system queuing of dissimilar mission unique systems through the use of a 

common security scheme and published application programming interfaces (APIs). Collaborative VMOC demonstrations over the last

several years have supported the standardization of spacecraft to ground interfaces needed to reduce costs, maximize space effects to the 

user, and allow the generation of new tactics, techniques and procedures that lead to responsive space employment. 

15. SUBJECT TERMS

Autonomy; Communications; Networking; Security; Operations 

16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF

 ABSTRACT

UU 

18. NUMBER

 OF 

 PAGES

10 

19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON

STI Help Desk (email:help@sti.nasa.gov) 

a. REPORT

U 

b. ABSTRACT

U 

c. THIS 

PAGE

U 

19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (include area code)

443-757-5802 

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98)

Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39-18