2015 NOAA Satellite Conference Greenbelt, MD April 27, 2015 NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Dr. Al Powell, Director Dr. Michael Kalb, Deputy

Wrap-up Remind Ourselves: Why do we build satellites? –A) because we can? –B) because they are really cool? –C) because they are important? D) because they provide environmental information & products that enable important environmental decisions at many space and time scales. Many uses: From enabling Near Real Time situational awareness, to building multi-decadal Climate Data Records and trends; value to NWP They are very expensive to build and operate, they involve risk; they involve infrastructure, and long term commitment of sustaining resources The benefits outweigh the costs …… (That is why we are here). But will this always be true? 2

Sustaining the Cost / Benefit Larger International community of satellite operators; More sophisticated satellites, More sophisticated sensors, More sophisticated uses and users, more sophisticated processing, Higher expectations …What are collective sustainable costs? All operational weather satellites and capabilities have evolved from Research Missions, MODIS  VIIRS; AIRS  CrIS, e.g. Research: pushes technology and science, higher risk, investments, potential payoff Operations: utilize best research tempered by TRL, and cost / benefit; Design for sustainability, Plan for continuity, Enable interoperability among satellites, generations past, present and future. There is significant growing dependency and overlap between research and operational satellites --- urgently demonstrated when NASA NPP satellite was pressed into operational service. There is increased leveraging of NASA and International research and capabilities and partnerships for data sharing and operations: AMSR-2, METOP, IASI, GPM, Environmental Satellite Observing has very nearly become a Global Enterprise. Coordination & Communication are key to sustainable cost / benefit (<<1) 3

Center for Satellite Applications & Research Delivers leadership for NESDIS research, development, validation and maintenance of satellite derived products and applications from NOAA’s operational geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites and from non-NOAA research and international satellites. Develops new environmental applications, techniques and algorithms for transforming raw satellite observations into scientifically meaningful, quality assured and calibrated environmental measurements and products, and develops the pre-operational computer codes to implement them. Supports the calibration and validation of all satellite sensors used in NOAA’s satellite operations, and develops methods and maintains systems for inter-calibrating NOAA satellite data with other satellites in the international constellation of research and operational satellites. Collaborates with other NESDIS and NOAA offices, universities, NASA and other U.S. agencies, and with international organizations on exchange and evaluation of operational and research satellite data and products.

Major STAR Activities GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG) GOES-R Calibration/Validation Working Group (CWG) JPSS Algorithm and Data Products Program, Cal/Val Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA) Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) Calibration / Validation (ICVS, NCC, GSICS) Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry support to JASON Program

Calibration & Validation (1) Satellite sensors do not measure anything directly. They count photons of different energies and register these as voltages transmitted to the ground. Scientific algorithms (such as what STAR creates) convert these into actual geophysical measurements (i.e. cloud images, winds, ocean currents, temperature, precipitation) that can be used by forecasters and in computer forecast models. Cal / Val involves use of specialized physical models and mathematical and statistical methods to determine the accuracy and reliability of the derived environmental measurements. Accuracy and reliability change over time as orbits and sensors degrade, measurements may not meet accuracy requirements needed for them to be useful. When that happens …… 6

Calibration & Validation (2) We modify the product algorithms; compute new calibration coefficients that allow sensor data, and geophysical variables derived from them, to regain as much accuracy, performance reliability, and forecast utility as possible. We monitor many sensors on many satellites. No two sensors of even the same type are exactly alike. Part of our responsibility is to inter-calibrate every sensor / satellite against every other sensor / satellite (including NASA research and international satellites) so that all of them work together as a single constellation (WMO Global Satellite Inter-Calibration System, i.e. GSICS). By themselves Satellites don't do much of anything useful. The Scientific Algorithms and Calibration / Validation is where the value goes in This is what STAR does. 7

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STAR Provides Life Cycle Mission Science Support 9 Requirements Instrument Build and Design Pre-LaunchPost-Launch Operations and Sustainment Requirements Definition Design Requirements Research to Operations (R2O) Acceptance TestingLifecycle R2O Product Research, Test, and EvaluationScience Maintenance Instrument Calibration Calibration / Validation Instrument and System Checkout Product Improvements TIME

Satellite Strategies in Transition 10 PASTFUTURE Calibrate individual instrumentsInter-calibrate multiple instruments globally Develop algorithms for GEO & LEO instruments independently Develop common algorithms for GEO and LEO instruments Develop individual productsDevelop product suites and blended products Transfer algorithms to NESDIS/OSPOTransfer algorithms to NESDIS/OSPO & International and non-government partners Address internal NOAA requirementsParticipate in multiple US and international collaborations Study climate using single instrumentsStudy climate using chains of instrument data Assimilate data from individual satellitesAssimilate data from suites of satellites Manage projects for Principal InvestigatorsManage algorithm deliveries to entire acquisition programs PRESENT

STAR Science Services Science 4.1 Science & Product Systems Development 4.1.1Scientific algorithm & product systems development 4.1.2Calibration / validation systems development 4.1.3Software and Algorithm Integration 4.1.4Configuration control and change management 4.1.5Quality Assurance 4.2 Science and Product Services 4.2.1Requirements development and analysis Scientific algorithm & applications research, prototype development, testing, and validation 4.2.3Risk Reduction & Proving Grounds 4.2.4User Readiness 4.2.5Product Improvement 4.3 Instrument & Product Calibration /Validation Development, coordination and execution of instrument and product Calibration / Validation techniques, technologies and activities; Interagency and international cal / val program coordination activities 4.3.3Cal/Val campaigns 4.4 Science Project & Program Management Program and Project level mission science leadership and coordination 4.4.2Science Team Management & Support Organization and coordination of internal and / or external science community working groups, review boards, and advisory services 4.5 Post Launch Science Maintenance 4.5.1Science algorithm and instrument performance monitoring Satellite / instrument performance issues mitigation services Calibration updates and algorithm changes necessary to ensure product quality or correct for unanticipated anomalies or artifacts Long Term Monitoring Product Monitoring and long term error assessment Reprocessing of long term data to ensure highest quality