PMC-DLD-00000-00001-00 · Issue 001 · 2026-11-04

Downlink Desk Operator's Manual

Operating procedures and fault isolation for the Downlink Desk ground-segment console

Applies to Downlink Desk 0.17.x. Prepared by Archie Maclean.

Status: Demonstration publication. An example of structured technical documentation for an open-source hobby console; not an approved procedure for any real operation.

Caution

Downlink Desk is not flight software. It cannot command a spacecraft and its limits are provisional. Do not use it to make decisions about real spacecraft hardware.

Download the manual as PDF

List of effective data modules

TitleData module codeTypeIssueDate
Downlink Desk – IntroductionDMC-DLD-A-00-00-00-00A-018A-ADescriptive0012026-11-04
Downlink Desk – Safety statementsDMC-DLD-A-00-00-00-00A-012A-ADescriptive0012026-11-04
Downlink Desk – List of abbreviationsDMC-DLD-A-00-00-00-00A-005A-ADescriptive0012026-11-04
Downlink Desk – List of termsDMC-DLD-A-00-00-00-00A-006A-ADescriptive0012026-11-04
Downlink Desk – DescriptionDMC-DLD-A-00-00-00-00A-040A-ADescriptive0012026-11-04
Alert system – DescriptionDMC-DLD-A-20-00-00-00A-040A-ADescriptive0012026-11-04
Shift start – Take the console and complete the daily checkDMC-DLD-A-30-10-00-00A-130A-AProcedural0012026-11-04
Alerts – Respond to an alertDMC-DLD-A-20-10-00-00A-130A-AProcedural0012026-11-04
Channel limits – Set or change limitsDMC-DLD-A-20-20-00-00A-130A-AProcedural0012026-11-04
Shift handover – Hand over the consoleDMC-DLD-A-30-20-00-00A-130A-AProcedural0012026-11-04
Audit trail – Verify the chainDMC-DLD-A-30-30-00-00A-300A-AProcedural0012026-11-04
Telemetry reception – Fault isolation: no frames, or satellite may have gone silentDMC-DLD-A-10-20-00-00A-400A-AFault isolation0012026-11-04
SatNOGS link – Fault isolation: data is not being collectedDMC-DLD-A-10-10-00-00A-400A-AFault isolation0012026-11-04
Web console – Fault isolation: the console does not openDMC-DLD-A-30-00-00-00A-400A-AFault isolation0012026-11-04