Once a satellite is in orbit, a ground team must know when it can communicate with the spacecraft and what to do during each contact. The radio link carries commands in one direction and spacecraft data in the other.
Ground operations include preparing commands, listening for a response, checking the satellite's status, and recording what happened. Clear procedures help teams make sense of the information they receive.
Communications planning begins during spacecraft design. Radio equipment, onboard software, antennas, and ground equipment all have to be compatible and tested together.
A contact can last only while a ground station can see the satellite. Teams make that time count by deciding ahead of the pass what to send, what data to collect, and how to confirm that the link worked.