The Flight Command and Control Centre for the EcoRocket Heavy Launch — AMi, Part XIV
The Flight Command and Control Centre (FCCC) for the EcoRocket Heavy launch is a spherical structure built from composite materials and fitted with four stations, as follows:
- Launch area operations;
- Propulsion;
- Guidance and trajectory;
- Flight director.
The FCCC will be mounted on the logistical ship that will assist during the EcoRocket launch from the sea.
For asteroid mining missions involving the AMi spacecraft operations, a dedicated FCCC will be used.
Due to EcoRocket’s extreme simplicity the whole launch will be monitored and controlled by just four stations with one human operator each. This configuration was validated by ARCA during previous launch missions.
Each station has its specific equipment, alongside its own computer and CCTV system.
On-top of the FCCC there are the telemetry, command, control and communication antennae.
The FCCC equipment is paired with the avionics equipment that is onboard the EcoRocket Heavy.
The Passive RADAR receives data from the transponder. This is where we also display the tactical situation of the entire air and naval traffic around the safety area. The conditions are: sea level, room temperature. The virtual RADAR used by ARCA in the previous missions is Kinetic Avionic SBS-3.
The SBS-3 virtual RADAR will be connected to a computer from the Flight Commander station. This will allow a precise location of the launch vehicle, as well as of all the targets from the safety zone above the sea. Naval targets will be also displayed. This also offers a redundancy for the satellite system. The transponder is emitting on 250 W and an identification at sea level will be possible from a longer distance compared to other radio systems. The passive RADAR operates on 1090 MHz.
Three radio modems of 1, 5, and 25 W are connected to the high gain antennae and also connected to FCCC computers via RS 232 and USB interfaces. The radio modems receive data from the EcoRocket Heavy and also send radio commands from the FCCC to the vehicle. The type and frequency of these modems are not disclosed.
All radio and satellite GPS beacons that are mounted on each stage of the EcoRocket Heavy will send data to the FCCC.
The WMR 200 weather station that will display the weather data from the launch location, connects to the Launch operation station computer and offers real time data about wind speed and direction, critical elements for the rocket launch.
The data displayed by the FCCC computers are:
- pressure and temperature sensors data from the sensors throughout all stages;
- radio GPS data (altitude, speed, heading) from all stages;
- inertial navigation data from the IMU on all axes (acceleration, attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) and speed) from all stages;
- the satellite GPS beacon’s altitude, speed, and heading;
- passive RADAR data;
- weather station data.
The flight computer receives the following commands from the FCCC computers, through the radio modem:
- tank pressurisation for all stages;
- first stage engines start;
- first stage engines shut-down (if needed, as a flight termination procedure);
- second stage engines shut-down (if needed, as a flight termination procedure);
- third stage engine shut-down (if needed, as a flight termination procedure);
- ballast separation;
- tank venting (if needed) for all stages;
- second stage separation;
- third stage separation;
- parachute deployment (if needed) for the first two stages;
The second and third stages engines start will be performed automatically without human intervention and once the vehicle starts its first stage engines, the program will run autonomously.
The FCCC receives voice communication through two Yaesu FT857D radio receivers.
The FT857D transmitter paired with the Diamond X7000 high gain antenna uses the HF, 50 MHz, 144 MHz, and 430 MHz Amateur bands. It also receives coverage on 100 kHz to 56 MHz, 76 to 108 MHz, 118–164 MHz, and 420–470 MHz.
For the sea communications occurring at long distances like for instance in the case of recovery operations that will go beyond the range of standard radio communicators, we use satellite phones. These devices also provide direct communication between ARCA’s FCCC and the air traffic control during launch and recovery.
The FCCC model will be integrated into the ARCA Deep Space Communication Network, with a unit for each station located around the globe. The avionics equipment will be upgraded to allow a proper interface between the multiple Deep Space Communication Network locations.
All the above-mentioned equipment was validated during previous launch missions including ones performed by ARCA for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars High Altitude Drop Test.
The AMi development program is financed through ARCA’s AMiE Crypto.
