The SOC, co-located with the company's engineering and image processing operations, features the latest technologies for satellite command and control. The SOC is comprised of three rows of consoles with a total of 30 monitor positions. All critical hardware is powered from an UPS power source with a dedicated generator backup. The engineering backroom provides office space for engineers and the hardware simulators used in operations. The backroom is adjacent to the SOC and provides console locations for engineers during satellite launch and early operations.
All rooms are secure and have controlled personnel access.
The SOC is populated with Ground Console Stations, which are all based on similar hardware and software. The distributed architectural design of the satellite command and control computer network enables access to any satellite from multiple console positions and remote locations. This design provides the necessary redundancy for seamless operations should any component malfunction. Simulation enables advanced training in spacecraft anomaly detection and development of correction scenarios, that cannot be performed on operational space assets. This capability will facilitate employee training, increasing system knowledge and reducing the risk of an on-orbit spacecraft failure.