(Credit: Josh Taylor/ZDNet Australia)
Two main operation centres keep control of the satellites and the data they transmit. The satellite control room is operated by two controllers 24 hours a day, with two 12-hour shifts from 7am to 7pm and 7pm to 7am. The controllers are tasked with ensuring the satellites remain in position and perform routine checks on a daily basis. The satellites are powered through solar panels, and one of the more busy times of the year is during Equinox, when there is a solar eclipse for one hour a night. According to Optus, the satellites store up solar power in their batteries to ensure that the systems do not go down while the sun is blocked by the Earth.
The second room is the broadcast operations centre. This centre monitors the customer feeds being broadcast over the satellites.
Unfortunately, due to security concerns, ZDNet Australia was unable to take photos in either of the control rooms.
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