SMX Satellite Tracking System

User Manual

Operation Guide for Satellite Tracking, Gimbal, Dome, and Camera Control 



Figure 1. Satellite Tracking Control Software UI and functional panel relationships


1. System Overview

This software is designed for satellite pass prediction, scheduling, pointing, tracking, and dual-camera monitoring. It integrates the Gimbal, Dome, visible-light camera (VL CAM), and short-wave infrared camera (SWIR CAM) into a unified control system.

The recommended workflow is:

Device Connection ▶︎ Coordinate Calibration ▶︎ Load TLE ▶︎ Calculate Passes ▶︎ Create Schedule ▶︎ Execute Tracking

The center of the interface serves as the primary tracking display. The left panel shows the satellite’s position in the sky together with the VL CAM image, while the right panel shows the satellite’s ground position together with the SWIR CAM image. The central information panel displays key tracking information, including the satellite name, rise and set times, speed, remaining time, and current tracking status, and also functional buttons.

2. Recommended Standard Operating Procedure

  1. For first-time installation, please read Section 11 before proceeding.
  2. Verify that the Gimbal, Dome, VL CAM, and SWIR CAM are properly connected and powered on. The Gimbal uses an RJ-45 Ethernet connection, while the Dome and cameras use high-quality, high-speed USB cables.
  3. Make sure that the Gimbal and the SMX server are connected to the same network subnet. For better security, it is recommended to isolate this subnet from upstream networks with a firewall to prevent unauthorized remote access to the devices.
  4. Using a web browser such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox, access
    http://smx.local
    Once connected, the SMX main controller interface will appear.
  5. Press LINK, confirm that all required devices are detected and shown as available.
  6. After the initial installation, or whenever the position or alignment of the equipment changes, perform REFINE INSTALLATION followed by COORDINATE CALIBRATION.
  7. Enter or select the satellite TLE in the TLE panel, then press CALC to calculate predicted passes for the coming week.
  8. Select a pass and press “+” to add it to the SCHEDULE, or press FOLLOW to prepare for immediate tracking.
  9. Before tracking, verify the sky position, ground position, RISING/SETTING times, maximum altitude, and start time. SMX also performs safety checks automatically to help prevent unsafe operation and possible hardware damage.
  10. To abort tracking or respond to an unexpected situation, press the central red STOP button to immediately halt the current operation.
  11. For closed-loop tracking, make sure that at least one camera is operating in Live View mode by pressing LVW. SMX uses the Visible-Light Camera (VL CAM) or Short-Wave Infrared Camera (SWIR CAM) to detect and monitor the target’s light spot. With accurate TLE data and a properly refined and calibrated installation, the system can keep the satellite near the center of the field with arc-second or sub-arc-second tracking accuracy. SMX performs closed-loop monitoring and tracking corrections automatically.

3. Device Connections

3.1 Gimbal Connection

Item

Description

IP

Enter the network address of the Gimbal controller, e.g. 192.168.0.100.

CONNECT

Establish the Gimbal connection.

DISCONNECT

Disconnect the Gimbal.

3.2 Dome Connection

Item

Description

PORT

Select the serial port of the Dome controller, e.g. /dev/ttyUSB0.

CONNECT

Establish the Dome connection.

DISCONNECT

Disconnect the Dome.

3.3 Link to Devices

This panel provides a consolidated status view of the GIMBAL, DOME, VL CAM, and SWIR CAM. A green indicator means that the corresponding device is available and successfully linked. Before starting a tracking operation, make sure that all required devices are available and properly connected.