Control Room

The SpaceLab Control Room is a dedicated environment designed to support the operation, monitoring, and management of CubeSat missions. The room integrates a set of hardware and software resources that provide full situational awareness and reliable command-and-control capabilities for satellites developed or operated by the laboratory. A picture of it can be seen in Fig. 9.

Control room.

Fig. 9 Control room.

The control room features an array of high-resolution displays that present essential mission information. The upper-left screen shows a real-time radio-frequency spectrum and waterfall plot, enabling operators to monitor downlink signals, identify transmission events, and assess the overall quality of the communication link. The upper-right display provides a global map with satellite ground tracks, orbital parameters, and visibility predictions, allowing precise planning and execution of communication passes.

The operator workstation includes two additional monitors running mission control dashboards, telemetry visualization tools, and configuration interfaces. These tools support activities such as command sequencing, subsystem monitoring, and performance assessment. A high-performance computer drives the main applications, ensuring stable operation and efficient data processing during high-activity periods.

To the right of the main desk, the room houses a dedicated server unit responsible for processing and managing all data received from the satellites. This server also centralizes the control of the ground station, hosting the backend services that handle data storage, decoding pipelines, pass scheduling, and system automation. Its integration ensures consistent performance, high reliability, and secure management of mission-critical information.

Overall, the control room is organized, well-equipped, and clearly structured to support CubeSat operations. Its combination of RF monitoring tools, orbital visualization software, high-performance computing resources, and auxiliary hardware makes it suitable for conducting real-time mission control, data analysis, and testing throughout the satellite’s operational lifecycle.