Automated multi-mission scheduling and control center operations at UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley has been operating eight spacecraft from its multi-mission control center at Space Sciences Laboratory, using the local Berkeley Ground Station as well as multiple government and commercial ground networks for space-to-ground communications. This paper describes challenges associated with developing multi-mission contact schedules in a constraint-based environment involving several ground networks with competing users, and presents a solution that provides short turn-around times and applies a high degree of systems automation.