The future command-control architecture for balloons over a TCP/IP interconnection

The goal of this paper is to present the studied, developed and tested demonstration system which prefigures the principles of CNES Balloon division future TM/TC means. The envisaged technological solution consists in implementing satellite-ground communications via an IP interconnection. This then allows use of standard Internet products and services for the architecture of the digital subsystem, which was the goal set at the beginning of the study. The resulting system meets the requirement specifications laid down by the Balloon division, and the results obtained encouraging the pursuit of work. Following a reminder of the context of the study and the main specifications, system architecture is presented, the main results obtained are detailed, and envisaged system evolutions are finally discussed.