The Space Network Web Services Interface (SWSI) provides SN customers with a standards-based and readily available Web interface that allows them to acquire SN services by interacting with the Network Control Center Data System (NCCDS) or the Demand Access System (DAS). The SWSI provides the only available customer interface to the DAS.

The NCCDS allows SN users to acquire all types of SN services both individually and in valid combinations such as a coherent pair of forward and return services, or a return service and a tracking service based on the return service. 

For SN services provided via interaction with the NCCDS, the SWSI provides a simple low-cost interface option for SN customers who do not require the full set of features provided by more complex systems such as the User Planning System (UPS). This would include suborbital and other infrequent SN customers; however, use of the SWSI by other users is not precluded.

The SWSI Implementation results in a new generation low cost cross-platform solution for scheduling Space Network services.  A web-based approach means that the solution will be cross-platform compatible, since there are web browsers and Java virtual machines available for almost every computer platform [Personal Computer (PC), Macintosh, Unix, and the like].  The web browser and Java provide a reduced hardware dependency for the customer's Mission Operations Center (MOC). All MOCs use either PC, Unix, or Macintosh workstations, or some combination of the three. The objectives of the SWSI are:

a.       Provide a standards-based web interface to the NCCDS to perform customer scheduling, real-time service monitoring and control, and state vector storage.

b.      Support all full support customer messages as defined in NCCDS/MOC ICD.

c.       Allow access from NISN Closed IONET, Open IONET, and Internet.

d.      Provide for secure message exchange using encryption.

e.       Provide a High Availability (HA) configuration to adhere to existing  Reliability/Maintainability/Availability (RMA) requirements.

f.        Implement the SWSI with a goal of minimizing acquisition, development, and life cycle cost.

g.       Provide customer access to Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Unscheduled Time (TUT) information from the Open IONET and Internet.

SWSI Reference Architecture

Space Network Access System (SNAS)

With the development and implementation of the SWSI the SN will essentially have two systems (UPS/SWSI) to maintain that support customer access to SN services.  The concept development for SNAS attempts create a single low cost system providing customer access to  Space Network Services by merging SWSI and UPS. An additional benefit realized by merging UPS and SWSI functions, is that SN customers gain the functionality the these systems individually lack.

Additional information is available at the SWSI website

Return to the Space Network Online Webpage