◈ Mission Overview
Plan, simulate, and rehearse Launch & Early Operations and In-Orbit Commissioning
Personas Available
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Flight Control Team roles
Scenarios in Library
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LEOP & Commissioning anomalies
Sims in Campaign
0
Planned training sessions
Team FTE
—
Configured operators
▤ How to use this guide
This is a generic, mission-agnostic simulation campaign builder for spacecraft Launch & Early Operations Phase (LEOP) and In-Orbit Commissioning. It is designed for Flight Control Teams (FCT) to plan and rehearse the response to challenging in-flight events before the real launch.
Recommended workflow
- Team Setup — pick a team template (lean, commercial, agency, defense) or build custom; lock in callsigns, shift pattern, voice loops.
- Browse Personas — review responsibilities, expected actions, and authority of each FCT role.
- Browse Scenarios — filter the library by phase, system, severity to find relevant anomalies.
- Build Campaign — sequence sims along the L+0 → IOC timeline, define objectives.
- Run Live Sim — pick a persona, start the mission clock, inject anomalies, log decisions.
- Debrief (AAR) — review timeline, capture lessons learned.
◉ What the simulator covers
LEOP phases
- L+0 LAUNCH Pre-launch console readiness, separation, telemetry chain handoff
- L+0 to L+24h First Acquisition (AOS), detumble, sun acquisition, first health check
- L+1 to L+7d Power-positive verification, deployment sequences, OBSW patches
- L+7 to L+30d Subsystem commissioning (AOCS, COMMS, TCS, Propulsion)
- L+30 to L+90d Payload commissioning, In-Orbit Validation (IOV)
- L+90+ Initial Operational Capability (IOC) declaration, customer handover
What you do not need
- A specific spacecraft model — the guide is platform-agnostic.
- External services or networks — runs entirely offline (single HTML file).
- Real telemetry — the simulator drives roleplay based on injected stimulus.
⚠ Why pre-launch sims matter
The first 24 hours after separation account for a disproportionate share of mission losses. Industry data shows roughly 1 in 20 spacecraft experience a critical anomaly within the first week. Most of these are recoverable — but only if the FCT has rehearsed the response.
This guide is built around the "sim-train-debrief" loop used by major operators. The objective is not to predict which anomaly will happen, but to ensure the team has internalised the decision-making structure regardless of which one strikes:
- Who has authority for each decision and at what time horizon?
- How do we preserve the spacecraft (power-positive, thermally safe) while we diagnose?
- When do we deviate from the pre-flight timeline and on whose call?
- Who talks to whom on the voice loops, in what order?
- What is the threshold for declaring an anomaly versus working through it as a deviation?
◉ Flight Control Team Setup
Define the team that will own LEOP and commissioning
⊕ Mission Identity
◐ Coverage & Operations Concept
◉ Team Composition
Configure each role: enable/disable, set headcount per shift, assign secondary responsibilities for multi-hat coverage. The Live Sim will only present personas you enable here.
◐ Persona Library
Reference card for each Flight Control Team role
⚠ Scenario Library
Filter, review, and add to your campaign — or create your own
▤ Campaign Planner
Sequence simulation sessions along the L+0 → IOC timeline
Sessions Planned
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Scenarios Covered
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Total Sim Hours
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Phase Coverage
0%
▣ Mission Timeline
▤ Sessions
◷ Pattern of Life
Operational rhythm by mission type and orbit class
◈ Mission-Matched Pattern
Configure your mission first (Setup wizard / Team Setup) to see the matching pattern of life highlighted.
◷ All Pattern-of-Life Templates
Each template captures the daily / weekly / monthly rhythm of a mission class. Use these as a starting point for your operational planning.
⊟ Standard Operating Procedures
Notional SOPs covering pre-pass, anomaly, manoeuvre, and routine operations
▶ Live Simulation
Run a session — inject anomalies, switch personas, log decisions
Mission Elapsed Time
L+00:00:00
Sim clock
Sim Wall Time
00:00:00
Real elapsed
Active Persona
— none —
Click below to switch
Active Scenario
— none —
Inject from library
◐ Persona Switcher
Switch role to see expected actions. Multi-person sims: each operator can rotate.
⚠ Inject Anomaly
Sim trainer injects a scenario. Team responds without prior knowledge of the cause.
▦ GO / NO-GO Poll
FD calls a poll. Each subsystem lead votes. All must be GO before the FD declares.
◈ Active Persona — Expected Actions
Select a persona on the left to see their expected actions for the active scenario.
▤ Quick Action Log Entry
▤ Mission Log
▼ After Action Review (AAR)
Capture lessons learned, action items, and grade FCT performance
◈ Sim Summary
▦ Performance Grades
Grade each dimension on a 1-5 scale
✓ What went well
⚠ What to improve
▦ Action Items
◐ Recommendation for Next Sim
▦ Reference Material
Vocabulary, voice loop conventions, GO/NO-GO criteria
▦ Standard LEOP/Commissioning Phases
| Phase | L+ window | Primary objectives |
|---|---|---|
| LAUNCH | L−24h to L+0 | Console readiness; launcher integration; abort criteria |
| SEP/AOS | L+0 to L+12h | Separation, first AOS, basic health, detumble start |
| EARLY OPS | L+12h to L+72h | Sun acquisition, power-positive, deployments, OBSW health |
| SUBSYS COMMISH | L+3d to L+30d | AOCS, COMMS, TCS, propulsion characterisation |
| IOV | L+30d to L+90d | Payload commissioning, in-orbit validation, calibration |
| IOC | L+60d to L+120d | Initial Operational Capability declaration, customer handover |
◐ Voice Loop Conventions
| Loop | Members | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| FD-LOOP | FD, OPS, SOC, MGR | Decisions, GO/NO-GO polls, customer interface |
| SUBSYS | All subsystem leads, OPS, FD | Telemetry calls, anomaly working |
| GROUND | GS, NETOPS, COMMS | Pass support, antenna handover |
| DYN | FDS, AOCS, FD | Manoeuvre planning, orbit determination |
| EXT | FD, MGR, customer/launcher | External coordination |
▤ GO/NO-GO Standard Calls
| Call | When | Caller |
|---|---|---|
| Console readiness | L−2h | FD polls all |
| Pre-sep poll | L−5min to L+0 | FD & launcher |
| AOS confirmed | First pass | COMMS / GS |
| SC nominal call | After first health check | OPS via FD |
| GO for deployment | Per timeline | FD polls AOCS, EPS, MGR |
| GO for first burn | Per FDS plan | FD polls AOCS, PROP, FDS |
| GO for payload activation | Commissioning | FD polls PAYLD, EPS, TCS |
| IOC declared | End of commissioning | MGR with FD & customer |
⚠ Anomaly Severity Definitions
| Level | Definition | Default response |
|---|---|---|
| Deviation | Off-nominal but no impact to objectives | Note & continue |
| Minor | Recoverable, may reschedule sub-step | OPS works in-pass |
| Major | Threatens objective, replanning needed | FD declares anomaly, anomaly chair convened |
| Critical | Threatens vehicle survival | Safe mode, contingency procedure, all hands |
| Catastrophic | Unrecoverable / loss of mission | Programme escalation, recovery board |
▦ Standard Acronyms
AOS — Acquisition of Signal
LOS — Loss of Signal
AOCS — Attitude & Orbit Control System
EPS — Electrical Power Subsystem
TCS — Thermal Control Subsystem
OBSW — On-Board Software
OBC — On-Board Computer
FDS — Flight Dynamics System/Specialist
FCT — Flight Control Team
MCC — Mission Control Centre
MET — Mission Elapsed Time
L+ — Time after Launch
LEOP — Launch & Early Operations Phase
IOV — In-Orbit Validation
IOC — Initial Operational Capability
TT&C — Telemetry, Tracking & Command
SOC — State of Charge (battery)
SAA — South Atlantic Anomaly
SAR — Search and Rescue / Synthetic Aperture Radar
RW — Reaction Wheel
MTQ — Magnetorquer
SS — Sun Sensor
ST — Star Tracker
IMU — Inertial Measurement Unit
HPA — High Power Amplifier
LNA — Low Noise Amplifier
HGA — High Gain Antenna
SADM — Solar Array Drive Mechanism
PCDU — Power Conditioning & Distribution Unit