Panasonic 3.0 User Manual

EchoMap v3.0 

55 

9.2  Network Operation 

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. 

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. 

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