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EchoMap v3.0
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9.2 Network Operation
The three main components of the network are:
The Space Segment - the constellation of ORBCOMM satellites.
The Ground Segment - network gateways located around the
world. This includes the Gateway Control Centers (GCCs),
Gateway Earth Stations (GESs), the Network Control Center
(NCC) and the Echo Flight Network (EFN).
Aircraft System – the on-aircraft items required to
communicate with the ORBCOMM system. This includes the
Subscriber Communicator (SC), VHF and GPS Antennas,
EchoMap software, and a portable computer.
9.2.1 Space Segment
The main function of the ORBCOMM satellites is to complete the link
between the Subscriber Communicator (SC) and the switching capability
at the NCC in the U.S. The satellites are "orbiting packet routers" ideally
suited to gather data packets from aircraft and other mobile vehicles and
relay them through a tracking Earth station to the NCC. Transmissions in
other parts of the world are routed to a GCC.
9.2.2 Ground Segment
The ground segment contains most of the intelligence of the ORBCOMM
system. It consists of GCCs, GESs and ORBCOMM's NCC located at
ORBCOMM's headquarters in Dulles, VA. Within the U.S., there are four
additional GESs located in Arizona, Georgia, New York State and