Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellites: Status, Plans, and Future Data Management Challenges (07/24/2002, GAO-02-684T}

-------------------------Indexing Terms-------------------------
REPORTNUM:   GAO-02-684T
    TITLE:   Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellites: Status, Plans, and Future Data Management Challenges
     DATE:   07/24/2002



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Testimony:



Before the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards, 

Committee on Science, House of Representatives:



United States General Accounting Office:



GAO:



For Release on Delivery Expected at

10:00 a.m. EDT

Wednesday, 

July 24, 2002:



POLAR-ORBITING ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITES:



Status, Plans, and Future Data Management Challenges:



:



Statement of Linda D. Koontz

Director, Information Management Issues:



GAO-02-684T:



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Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:



We appreciate the opportunity to join in todayï¿½s hearing to discuss our 

work on the planned National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental 

Satellite System (NPOESS). At your request, we will discuss our 

nationï¿½s current polar-orbiting weather satellite program, plans for 

NPOESS, and key challenges in managing future NPOESS data volumes.



In brief, todayï¿½s polar-orbiting environmental satellite program is a 

complex infrastructure encompassing two satellite systems, supporting 

ground stations, and four central data processing centers that provide 

general weather information and specialized environmental products to a 

variety of users, including weather forecasters, military strategists, 

and the public. NPOESS is planned to merge the two satellite systems 

into a single state-of-the-art environment monitoring satellite system, 

at a significant cost savings. This new satellite system is expected to 

provide vast streams of data, far more than are currently handled by 

the four processing centers and weather information users.



To handle this increased volume of satellite data, the four processing 

centers will need to build up their respective infrastructures, and 

they will need to work to efficiently incorporate new data into their 

weather products and models. Because the NPOESS launch is several years 

in the future, agencies have time to plan for expanding their 

infrastructures and models so that they can handle the increased data 

volumes that NPOESS will provide. Each of the processing centers is 

planning activities to build its capacity to handle increased volumes 

of data, but more can be done to coordinate and focus these plans.



The approach we used to perform this work--our objectives, scope, and 

methodology--is provided in appendix I.



Polar Satellite Program Overview:



Since the 1960s, the United States has operated two separate polar-

orbiting meteorological satellite systems. These systems are known as 

the Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), 

managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationï¿½s (NOAA) 

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service 

(NESDIS), and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), 

managed by the Department of Defense (DOD). These satellites obtain 

environmental data that are processed to provide graphical weather 

images and specialized weather products, and that are the predominant 

input to numerical weather prediction models--all used by weather 

forecasters, the military, and the public. Polar satellites also 

provide data used to monitor environmental phenomena, such as ozone 

depletion and drought conditions, as well as data sets that are used by 

researchers for a variety of studies, such as climate monitoring.



Polar Satellite Infrastructure:



Unlike geostationary satellites, which maintain a fixed position above 

the earth, polar-orbiting satellites constantly circle the Earth in an 

almost north-south orbit, providing global coverage of conditions that 

affect the weather and climate. Each satellite makes about 14 orbits a 

day. As the earth rotates beneath it, each satellite views the entire 

earthï¿½s surface twice a day. Today, there are two operational POES 

satellites and two operational DMSP satellites that are positioned so 

that they can observe the earth in early morning, morning, and 

afternoon polar orbits. Together, they ensure that for any region of 

the earth, the data are generally no more than 6 hours old. Figure 1 

illustrates the current operational polar satellite configuration. 

Besides the four operational satellites, there are five older 

satellites in orbit that still collect some data and are available to 

provide some limited backup to the operational satellites should they 

degrade or fail. In the future, both NOAA and DOD plan to continue to 

launch additional POES and DMSP satellites every few years, with final 

launches scheduled for 2008 and 2009, respectively.



Figure 1: :



Figure 2: Figure 1: Configuration of Operational Polar Satellites:



DMSP:



:



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:



:



POES:



:



1:30 PM:



:



:



:



:



7:30 AM:



:



5:30 AM:



:



:



8:30 AM:



:



:



Notional local equatorial crossing times Time:



:



:



POES:



:



:



DMSP:



:



:



:





Source: NPOESS Integrated Program Office.

:



Each of the polar satellites carries a suite of sensors designed to 

detect environmental data either reflected or emitted from the earth, 

the atmosphere, and space. The satellites store these data and then 

transmit the data to NOAA and Air Force ground stations when the 

satellites pass overhead. The ground stations then relay the data via 

communications satellites to the appropriate meteorological centers for 

processing.



Under a shared processing agreement among the four processing centers-

-NESDIS,[Footnote 1] the Air Force Weather Agency, Navyï¿½s Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, and the Naval 

Oceanographic Office--different centers are responsible for producing 

and distributing different environmental data sets, specialized weather 

and oceanographic products, and weather prediction model outputs via a 

shared network. Each of the four processing centers is also responsible 

for distributing the data to its respective users. For the DOD centers, 

the users include regional meteorology and oceanography centers as well 

as meteorology and oceanography staff on military bases. NESDIS 

forwards the data to the National Weather Service for distribution and 

use by forecasters. The processing centers also use the Internet to 

distribute data to the general public. NESDIS is responsible for the 

long-term archiving of data and derived products from POES and DMSP.



In addition to the infrastructure supporting satellite data processing 

noted above, properly equipped field terminals that are within a direct 

line of sight of the satellites can receive real-time data directly 

from the polar-orbiting satellites. There are an estimated 150 such 

field terminals operated by the U.S. government, many by DOD. Field 

terminals can be taken into areas with little or no data communications 

infrastructure--such as on a battlefield or ship--and enable the 

receipt of weather data directly from the polar-orbiting satellites. 

These terminals have their own software and processing capability to 

decode and display a subset of the satellite data to the user. Figure 2 

depicts a generic data relay pattern from the polar-orbiting satellites 

to the data processing centers and field terminals.



Figure 3: Figure 2: Generic Data Relay Pattern for the Polar 

Meteorological Satellite System:



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Polar Satellite Data, Products, and Uses:



Polar satellites gather a broad range of data that are transformed into 

a variety of products for many different uses. Satellite sensors 

observe different bands of radiation wavelengths, called channels, 

which are used for remotely determining information about the earthï¿½s 

atmosphere, land surface, oceans, and the space environment. When first 

received, satellite data are considered raw data.[Footnote 2] To make 

them usable, the processing centers format the data so that they are 

time-sequenced and include earth location and calibration information. 

After formatting, these data are called raw data records. The centers 

further process these raw data records into channel-specific data sets, 

called sensor data records and temperature data records. These data 

records are then used to derive weather products called environmental 

data records (EDR). EDRs range from atmospheric products detailing 

cloud coverage, temperature, humidity, and ozone distribution; to land 

surface products showing snow cover, vegetation, and land use; to ocean 

products depicting sea surface temperatures, sea ice, and wave height; 

to characterizations of the space environment. Combinations of these 

data records (raw, sensor, temperature, and environmental data records) 

are also used to derive more sophisticated products, including outputs 

from numerical weather models and assessments of climate trends. Figure 

3 is a simplified depiction of the various stages of data processing.



Figure 4: Figure 3: Satellite Data Processing Steps:



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:



EDRs can be either images or quantitative data products. Image EDRs 

provide graphical depictions of the weather and are used to observe 

meteorological and oceanographic phenomena to track operationally 

significant events (such as tropical storms, volcanic ash,[Footnote 3] 

and icebergs), and to provide quality assurance for weather prediction 

models.



The following figures present some polar-orbiting satellite images. 

Figure 4 is an image from a DMSP satellite showing an infrared picture 

taken over the west Atlantic Ocean. Figure 5 is a POES image of 

Hurricane Floyd, which struck the southern Atlantic coastline in 1999. 

Figure 6 is a polar-satellite image used to detect volcanic ash clouds, 

in particular the ash cloud resulting from the eruption of Mount Etna 

in 2001. Figure 7 shows the location of icebergs near Antarctica in 

February 2002.



Figure 5: Figure 4: DMSP Image of the West Atlantic Ocean:



:



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Source: Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center.



Figure 6: :



Figure 7: Figure 5: POES Image of Hurricane Floyd in 1999:



:



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Source: NOAA.



Figure 8: Figure 6: POES Image of Volcanic Ash Cloud from Mt. Etna, 

Sicily, in 2001:



Source: NOAA.



Figure 9: Figure 7: DMSP Image of Icebergs Near Antarctica:



Source: Naval/National Ice Center.



Quantitative EDRs are specialized weather products that can be used to 

assess the environment and climate or to derive other products. These 

EDRs can also be depicted graphically. Figures 8 and 9 are graphic 

depictions of quantitative data on sea surface temperature and ozone 

measurements, respectively. An example of a product that was derived 

from EDRs is provided in figure 10. This product shows how long a 

person could survive in the ocean--information used in military as well 

as search and rescue operations--and was based on sea surface 

temperature EDRs from polar-orbiting satellites.



Figure 10: Figure 8: Analysis of Sea Surface Temperatures from POES 

Satellite Data:



:



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Source: NOAA/NESDIS.



Figure 11: Figure 9: Analysis of Ozone Concentration from POES 

Satellite Data:



:



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Source: NESDIS.



Figure 12: Figure 10: Analysis of Water Survivability off the Atlantic 

Seaboard, January 2002:



:



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Note: Contour lines with blocked numbers depict survival time, in 

hours, without a survival suit.



Source: Naval Oceanographic Office.



Another use of quantitative satellite data is in numerical weather 

prediction models. Based predominantly on observations from polar-

orbiting satellites and supplemented by data from other sources such as 

geostationary satellites, radar, weather balloons, and surface 

observing systems, numerical weather prediction models are used to help 

forecast atmospheric, land, and ocean conditions hours, days, weeks, 

and months into the future. These models require quantitative satellite 

data to update their analysis of weather and to produce new forecasts. 

Table 1 contains examples of models run by the processing centers. 

Figure 11 depicts the output of one common model.



Table 1: Common Numerical Weather Prediction Models Used by Processing 

Centers:



Model: Global Forecast System; Purpose: Global weather forecasts; 

Processing center: NESDIS/NCEP.



Model: Eta Model; Purpose: Regional weather forecasts; Processing 

center: NESDIS/NCEP.



Model: Mesoscale Model 5; Purpose: Regional forecasts; Processing 

center: Air Force Weather Agency.



Model: Advect Cloud Model; Purpose: Global cloud forecast and analysis; 

Processing center: Air Force Weather Agency.



Model: Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System; Purpose: 

Global weather forecasts; Processing center: Navy Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center.



Model: Coupled Oceanographic and Atmospheric Mesoscale Prediction 

System; Purpose: Regional weather forecasts; Processing center: Navy 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center.



Model: Wave Model; Purpose: Regional oceanographic forecasts; 

Processing center: Naval Oceanographic Office.



[End of table]



:



:



Figure 13: Figure 11: Model Output Depicting a 6-Hour Precipitation 

Forecast:



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Source: NCEP.



All this information--satellite data, imagery, derived products, and 

model output--is used in mapping and monitoring changes in weather, 

climate, the ocean, and the environment. These data and products are 

provided to weather forecasters for use in issuing weather forecasts 

and warnings to the public and to support our nationï¿½s aviation, 

agriculture, and maritime communities. Also, weather data and products 

are used by climatologists and meteorologists to monitor the 

environment. Within the military, these data and products allow 

military planners and tactical users to focus on anticipating and 

exploiting atmospheric and space environmental conditions. For example, 

Air Force Weather Agency officials told us that accurate wind and 

temperature forecasts are critical to any decision to launch an 

aircraft that will need mid-flight refueling. In addition to these 

operational uses of satellite data, there is also a substantial need 

for polar satellite data for research. According to experts in climate 

research, the research community requires long-term, consistent sets of 

satellite data collected sequentially, usually at fixed intervals of 

time, in order to study many critical climate processes. Some examples 

of research topics include long-term trends in temperature, 

precipitation, and snow cover.



The National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite 

System:



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Given the expectation that converging the POES and DMSP programs would 

reduce duplication and result in sizable cost savings, a May 1994 

presidential decision directive required NOAA and DOD to converge the 

two satellite programs into a single satellite program capable of 

satisfying both civilian and military requirements. The converged 

program is called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental 

Satellite System (NPOESS), and it is considered critical to the United 

Statesï¿½ ability to maintain the continuity of data required for weather 

forecasting and global climate monitoring. To manage this program, DOD, 

NOAA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have 

formed a tri-agency integrated program office, located within NOAA.



Within the program office, each agency has the lead on certain 

activities. NOAA has overall responsibility for the converged system, 

as well as satellite operations; DOD has the lead on the acquisition; 

and NASA has primary responsibility for facilitating the development 

and incorporation of new technologies into the converged system. NOAA 

and DOD share the costs of funding NPOESS, while NASA funds specific 

technology projects and studies.



NPOESS Overview:



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NPOESS is a major system acquisition estimated to cost $6.5 billion 

over the 24-year period from the inception of the program in 1995 

through 2018. The program is to provide satellite development, 

satellite launch and operation, and integrated data processing. These 

deliverables are grouped into four main categories: (1) the launch 

segment, which includes the launch vehicle and supporting equipment, 

(2) the space segment, which includes the satellites and sensors, 

(3) the interface data processing segment, which includes the data 

processing system to be located at the four processing centers, and (4) 

the command, control, and communications segment, which includes the 

equipment and services needed to support satellite operations.



NPOESS will be a launch-on-demand system, and satellites must be 

available to back up the planned launches of the final POES and DMSP 

satellites. The first NPOESS satellite--designated C1--is scheduled for 

delivery in 2008 and is to be available to back up the planned launch 

of the final POES satellite in 2008. If C1 is not needed to back up the 

final POES, it will be launched in April 2009. The second NPOESS 

satellite is to be available to back up the planned launch of the final 

DMSP satellite in late 2009, or if not needed as a backup, it is to be 

launched in 2011. Subsequent launches are expected to occur 

approximately every 2 years through 2018.



Program acquisition plans call for the procurement and launch of six 

NPOESS satellites over the life of the program and the integration of 

13 instruments, including 11 environmental sensors and 2 subsystems. 

Together, the sensors are to receive and transmit data on atmospheric, 

cloud cover, environmental, climate, oceanographic, and solar-

geophysical observations. The subsystems are to support 

nonenvironmental search and rescue efforts, as well as environmental 

data collection activities. According to the integrated program office, 

8 of NPOESSï¿½s 13 instruments involve new technology development, 

whereas 5 others are based on existing technologies. The planned 

instruments and the state of technology on each are listed in table 2.



Table 2: Expected NPOESS Instruments:



Instrument name: Advanced technology microwave sounder; Description: 

This sensor is to measure microwave energy released and scattered by 

the atmosphere, and is to be used with infrared sounding data from 

NPOESSï¿½ cross-track infrared sounder to produce daily global 

atmospheric temperature, humidity, and pressure profiles.; State of 

technology: New.



Instrument name: Aerosol polarimetry sensor; Description: This sensor 

is to retrieve specific aerosol (liquid droplets or solid particles 

suspended in the atmosphere, such as sea spray, smog, and smoke) and 

cloud measurements.; State of technology: New.



Instrument name: Conical microwave imager/sounder; Description: This 

sensor is to collect microwave images and data needed to measure rain 

rate, ocean surface wind speed and direction, amount of water in the 

clouds, and soil moisture, as well as temperature and humidity at 

different atmospheric levels.; State of technology: New.



Instrument name: Cross-track infrared sounder; Description: This sensor 

is to collect measurements of the Earthï¿½s radiation to determine the 

vertical distribution of temperature, moisture, and pressure in the 

atmosphere.; State of technology: New.



Instrument name: Data collection system; Description: This system 

collects environmental data from platforms around the world and 

delivers them to users worldwide.; State of technology: Existing.



Instrument name: Earth radiation budget sensor; Description: This 

sensor measures solar short-wave radiation and long-wave radiation 

released by the Earth back into space on a worldwide scale to enhance 

long-term climate studies.; State of technology: Existing.



Instrument name: Global positioning system occultation sensor; 

Description: This sensor is to measure the refraction of radio wave 

signals from the Global Positioning System and Russiaï¿½s Global 

Navigation Satellite System to characterize the ionosphere.; State of 

technology: New.



Instrument name: Ozone mapper/profiler suite; Description: This sensor 

is to collect data needed to measure the amount and distribution of 

ozone in the Earthï¿½s atmosphere.; State of technology: New.



Instrument name: Radar altimeter; Description: This sensor measures 

variances in sea surface height/topography and ocean surface roughness, 

which are used to determine sea surface height, significant wave 

height, and ocean surface wind speed and to provide critical inputs to 

ocean forecasting and climate prediction models.; State of technology: 

Existing.



Instrument name: Search and rescue satellite aided tracking system; 

Description: This system detects and locates aviators, mariners, and 

land-based users in distress.; State of technology: Existing.



Instrument name: Space environmental sensor suite; Description: This 

suite of sensors is to collect data to identify, reduce, and predict 

the effects of space weather on technological systems, including 

satellites and radio links.; State of technology: New.



Instrument name: Total solar irradiance sensor; Description: This 

sensor monitors and captures total and spectral solar irradiance data.; 

State of technology: Existing.



Instrument name: Visible/infrared imager radiometer suite; 

Description: This sensor is to collect images and radiometric data used 

to provide information on the Earthï¿½s clouds, atmosphere, ocean, and 

land surfaces.; State of technology: New.



[End of table]



:





Unlike the current polar satellite program, in which the four centers 

use different approaches to process raw data into the environmental 

data records that they are responsible for, NPOESSï¿½ integrated data 

processing systemï¿½to be located at the four centers--is expected to 

provide a standard system to produce these data sets and products. The 

four processing centers will continue to use these data sets to produce 

other derived products, as well as for input to their numerical 

prediction models.



NPOESS is planned to produce 55 environmental data records (EDRs), 

including atmospheric vertical temperature profile, sea surface 

temperature, cloud base height, ocean wave characteristics, and ozone 

profile. Some of these EDRs are comparable to existing products, 

whereas others are new. The user community designated six of these data 

products--supported by four sensors[Footnote 4]--as key EDRs, and noted 

that failure to provide them would cause the system to be reevaluated 

or the program to be terminated.



Acquisition Strategy:



The NPOESS acquisition program consists of three key phases: the 

concept and technology development phase, which lasted from roughly 

1995 to early 1997; the program definition and risk reduction phase, 

which began in early 1997 and is ongoing now; and the engineering and 

manufacturing development and production phase, which is expected to 

begin next month and continue through the life of the program. The 

concept and technology development phase began with the decision to 

converge the POES and DMSP satellites and included early planning for 

the NPOESS acquisition. This phase included the successful convergence 

of the command and control of existing DMSP and POES satellites at 

NOAAï¿½s satellite operations center.



The program definition and risk reduction phase involves both system-

level and sensor-level initiatives. At the system level, the program 

office awarded contracts to two competing prime contractors--Lockheed 

Martin and TRW--to prepare for NPOESS system performance 

responsibility. These contractors are developing unique approaches to 

meeting requirements, designing system architectures, and developing 

initiatives to reduce sensor development and integration risks. These 

contractors will compete for the development and production contract. 

At the sensor level, the program office awarded contracts to develop 

five sensors.[Footnote 5] These sensors are in varying stages of 

development. This phase will end when the development and production 

contract is awarded. At that point, the winning contractor will assume 

responsibility for managing continued sensor development.



The final phase, engineering and manufacturing development and 

production, is expected to begin next month when the development and 

production contract is awarded. The program office issued a request for 

proposals for the contract in February 2002 and is currently evaluating 

proposals, with an expectation of awarding the contract by the end of 

August 2002. The winning contractor will assume system performance 

responsibility for the overall program. This responsibility includes 

all aspects of design, development, integration, assembly, test and 

evaluation, operations, and on-orbit support.



Risk Reduction Activities:



In May 1997, the integrated program office assessed the technical, 

schedule, and cost risks of key elements of the NPOESS program, 

including (1) the launch segment, (2) the space segment, (3) the 

interface data processing segment, (4) the command, control, and 

communications segment, and (5) the overall system integration. As a 

result of this assessment, the program office determined that three 

elements had high risk components: the interface data processing 

segment, the space segment, and the overall system integration segment. 

Specifically, the interface data processing segment and overall system 

integration were assessed as high risk in all three areas (technical, 

cost, and schedule), whereas the space segment was assessed to be high 

risk in the technical and cost areas, and moderate risk in the schedule 

area. The launch segment and the command, control, and communications 

segment were determined to present low or moderate risks. The program 

office expects to reduce its high risk components to low and moderate 

risks by the time the development and production contract is awarded, 

and to have all risk levels reduced to low before the first launch. 

Table 3 displays the results of the 1997 risk assessment as well as the 

program officeï¿½s projections for those risks by August 2002 and by 

first launch.



Table 3: Actual Risk Levels in 1997 and Projected Risk Levels by August 

2002 and by First Launch:



Projected risk levels: Technical; Projected risk levels: Schedule; 

Projected risk levels: Cost; Projected risk levels: Technical; 

Projected risk levels: Schedule; Projected risk levels: Cost; Projected 

risk levels: Technical; Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-

2009): Schedule; Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-2009): 

Cost.



Area assessed: System integration; Projected risk levels: H; Projected 

risk levels: Technical: H; Projected risk levels: Schedule: H; 

Projected risk levels: Technical: M; Projected risk levels: Schedule: 

M; Projected risk levels: Cost: L; Projected risk levels by first 

launch (2008-2009): Technical: L; Projected risk levels by first launch 

(2008-2009): Schedule: L; Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-

2009): Cost: L.



Area assessed: Launch segment; Projected risk levels: L; Projected risk 

levels: Technical: L; Projected risk levels: Schedule: M; Projected 

risk levels: Technical: L; Projected risk levels: Schedule: L; 

Projected risk levels: Cost: L; Projected risk levels by first launch 

(2008-2009): Technical: L; Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-

2009): Schedule: L; Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-2009): 

Cost: L.



Area assessed: Space 

segment; Projected risk levels: H; Projected risk levels: Technical: M; 

Projected risk levels: Schedule: H; Projected risk levels: Technical: 

L; Projected risk levels: Schedule: M; Projected risk levels: Cost: L; 

Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-2009): Technical: L; 

Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-2009): Schedule: L; 

Projected risk levels by first launch (2008-2009): Cost: L.



Area assessed: Interface data processing segment; Projected risk 

levels: H; Projected risk levels: Technical: H; Projected risk levels: 

Schedule: H; Projected risk levels: Technical: M; Projected risk 

levels: Schedule: L; Projected risk levels: Cost: L; Projected risk 

levels by first launch (2008-2009): Technical: L; Projected risk levels 

by first launch (2008-2009): Schedule: L; Projected risk levels by 

first launch (2008-2009): Cost: L.



Area assessed: Command, control, and communications segment; Projected 

risk levels: L; Projected risk levels: Technical: L; Projected risk 

levels: Schedule: L; Projected risk levels: Technical: L; Projected 

risk levels: Schedule: L; Projected risk levels: Cost: L; Projected 

risk levels by first launch (2008-2009): Technical: L; Projected risk 

levels by first launch (2008-2009): Schedule: L; Projected risk levels 

by first launch (2008-2009): Cost: L.



Source: NOAA/Integrated Program Office.



[End of table]



In order to meet its goals of reducing program risks, the program 

office developed and implemented an integrated risk reduction program 

that includes nine initiatives. While individual initiatives may 

address one or more identified risks, the program office anticipated 

that the combination of these nine projects would address the risk to 

overall system integration. The nine projects are as follows:



* Deferred development: To reduce program risk, the program office 

deferred development of 21 EDR requirements either because the 

technology needed to implement the requirements did not exist or 

because the requirement was too costly. For example, the requirement 

for measuring ocean salinity was deferred until the technology needed 

to take these measurements has been demonstrated in space. If feasible, 

the program office plans to implement these requirements later as 

program enhancements.



* Early sensor development: Because environmental sensors have 

historically taken 8 years to develop, development of six of the eight 

sensors with more advanced technologies was initiated early. In the 

late 1990s, the program office awarded contracts for the development, 

analysis, simulation, and prototype fabrication of five of these 

sensors.[Footnote 6] In addition, NASA awarded a contract for the early 

development of one other sensor.[Footnote 7] Responsibility for 

delivering these sensors will be transferred from the program office 

and NASA to the winning development and production contractor. 

According to program office officials, these sensors should be 

delivered at least 2 years before the earliest expected NPOESS launch 

because of these early development efforts.



* Building on existing sensor technologies: In order to minimize risks, 

the program office used existing sensor technologies as a starting 

point from which to build new sensors and also plans to use some 

existing sensors on NPOESS. For example, the new cross-track infrared 

sounder sensor grew from technology used on the POES high-resolution 

infrared sounder and on the atmospheric infrared sounder carried on 

NASAï¿½s Earth Observing System/Aqua satellite. Also, NPOESSï¿½ data 

collection system is based on the data collection system already flying 

on another satellite and, according to program officials, will likely 

be available largely ï¿½off the shelf.ï¿½ Program office officials reported 

that building on existing sensors should enable them to obtain half of 

the NPOESS sensors and almost half of the required 55 EDRs while 

reducing the risk of integrating new technology into the program.



* Ground demonstrations: To reduce the risk to the data processing 

segment, the program office had both of the program definition and risk 

reduction contractors conduct four ground-based demonstrations of 

hardware and software components of the data processing system. Because 

of work done during the program definition and risk reduction contract 

phase, the program office expects the interface data processing segment 

to be relatively mature before contract award.



* Internal government studies: To reduce the risks in integrating the 

NPOESS space and interface data processing segments, over the past 5 

years, the integrated program office has overseen risk reduction 

studies performed by over 30 major scientific organizations, including 

government laboratories, major universities, and institutes. These 

studies include observing system simulation experiments and data 

assimilation studies, which involve simulating a future sensor and then 

identifying ways to incorporate the new data into products and models. 

For example, the studies were used to assess the impact of advanced 

sounders similar to those on NPOESS and the impact of NPOESS-like data 

on forecasts and end user products.



* Aircraft flights: Since 1997, the integrated program office has used 

aircraft flights to demonstrate satellite sensors and to deliver early 

data to its users so that they can begin to work with the data. For 

example, in 2001, the NPOESS airborne sounder testbed project began 

using NASA aircraft to provide an environment in which instruments 

could be tested under conditions that simulate space.



* Operational algorithm teams: The integrated program office 

established five operational algorithm teams to serve as scientific 

advisory groups. The teams, made up of representatives from government 

and federally funded research and development centers, worked with the 

program office for 5 years to oversee the development and refinement of 

various algorithms that NPOESS will use. They will continue to work 

with the development and production contractor to refine the data 

processing algorithms.



* WindSat/Coriolis demonstration: WindSat/Coriolis is a demonstration 

satellite, planned for launch in 2003, to test critical new ocean 

surface wind-observing science and technology that will be used in the 

NPOESS conical microwave imager/sounder sensor. This demonstration 

project will also help validate the technology needed to support 

various EDRs.



* NPOESS preparatory project: This is a planned demonstration satellite 

to be launched in early 2006, 2 to 3 years before the first NPOESS 

satellite launch. It is scheduled to host three critical NPOESS sensors 

(the visible/infrared imager radiometer suite, the cross-track infrared 

sounder, and the advanced technology microwave sounder), and it will 

provide the program office and processing centers an early opportunity 

to work with the sensors, ground control, and data processing systems. 

This satellite is expected to demonstrate about half of the NPOESS EDRs 

and about 80 percent of its data processing load.



Data Management Challenges and Plans to Address Them:



NPOESS is expected to produce a massive increase in the volume of data 

sent to the four processing centers, which presents considerable data 

management challenges. Whereas current polar satellites produce 

approximately 10 gigabytes of data per day, NPOESS is expected to 

provide 10 times that amount. When combined with increased data from 

other sources--other satellites, radar, and ground sensors--this 

increase in satellite data presents immense challenges to the centersï¿½ 

infrastructures for processing the data and to their scientific 

capability to use these additional data effectively in weather products 

and models.



The four processing centers and the integrated program office are well 

aware of these data management challenges and are planning to address 

them. Specifically, each of the four centers is planning to build its 

capacity to handle increased data volumes, and both the centers and the 

program office are working to improve their ability to assimilate new 

satellite data in their products. Because the NPOESS launch is several 

years in the future, agencies have time to build up their respective 

infrastructures and models so that they can handle increased data 

volumes. However, more can be done to coordinate and further define 

these efforts.



Infrastructure Challenges and Plans to Address Them:



The expected increase in satellite data from NPOESS presents a 

considerable challenge to the processing centersï¿½ infrastructures for 

obtaining, processing, distributing, and storing satellite data. All 

four of the central processing centers reported that their current 

infrastructures would require changes in order to support expected 

NPOESS data streams. In fact, two centers reported that their current 

infrastructures could not support any of the NPOESS EDRs that they 

expect to use; another center reported that its infrastructure could 

not support 82 percent of the EDRs it expects to use; and the fourth 

center reported that its infrastructure could not support 27 percent of 

the EDRs that it will use.



As for specific shortcomings, officials at the processing centers 

reported that they need to increase the computational power of the 

supercomputers that will process the data records, upgrade the 

communication systems used to transmit the data, and/or increase the 

storage capacity of the systems used to archive the data. For example, 

National Weather Service officials told us that current supercomputers 

could not process the vast amount of satellite data NPOESS will 

generate within required timeframes to produce forecasts, because even 

today they are encountering computer capacity constraints. 

Specifically, the target usage rate for effectively processing modeling 

data is 50 percent of computing capacity. Officials told us that the 

average current usage rate is 70 percent of capacity, and usage often 

peaks well above this rate. As another example of an infrastructure 

challenge, officials at the Navyï¿½s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and 

Oceanography Center reported that even with recent upgrades to their 

local data storage capacity, their current infrastructure could not 

likely support NPOESS increased data volumes.



To handle these increased data volumes, the four processing centers 

have begun high-level planning to transform their respective satellite 

data processing infrastructures. Understandably, the centers have not 

yet begun detailed planning for operational and technology change in 

the 2008-2009 timeframe because there are too many unknowns for them to 

do so reliably. For example, the architectural characteristics of the 

NPOESS system will not be known until sometime after the development 

and production contract is awarded later this year. Also, as stated by 

center officials, technology changes so quickly that it is difficult to 

predict technology options 6 to 7 years from now.



Although the centers are not yet building their infrastructures 

specifically to support NPOESS, officials told us that they are 

currently working to upgrade their infrastructures to support current 

and future data streams. For example, NOAA plans to increase the 

processing capacity of its supercomputers to handle the increased 

volume of satellite data expected over the next several years. In 

addition, the Air Force Weather Agency is in the process of upgrading 

its information technology infrastructure to increase the capacity of 

its computer and communications systems.



The processing centers recognize the infrastructure challenges they 

face, and each is planning or initiating upgrades to improve its data 

management capacity to meet immediate challenges. Once the NPOESS 

development and production contract is awarded and the system design is 

determined, it is imperative that the four processing centers adjust 

and further define their future architectures to address this design, 

and identify the steps they need to take to reach that future goal. All 

of the centers have expressed their intentions to do so.



Data Utilization Challenges and Plans to Address Them:



The increased data volumes from NPOESS pose a challenge to those 

seeking to use these data in operational weather models and products. 

These models and products are heavily dependent on satellite data, but 

experts in the weather modeling community acknowledge that satellite 

data are not always used effectively because the science needed to 

understand and use the data is sometimes immature. For example, 

forecasters do not yet know how to use microwave data from areas 

covered in ice or under heavy precipitation in their weather prediction 

models. Experts reported that it often takes years of study and 

scientific advances to effectively assimilate new satellite data into 

weather models and to derive new weather products. While there is some 

debate as to how long it takes to develop the science to put new data 

in models, in 2000, the National Research Council reported that it 

generally takes 2 to 5 years of simulations and analyses before a 

satellite launch for data from new sensors to be effectively 

incorporated into weather models.[Footnote 8] They noted that if this 

work does not occur, there is a gap of several years during which data 

are collected but not used efficiently in models. Defense and civilian 

modeling officials reiterated the value of advance assimilation studies 

by citing an example in which such studies performed before a new 

sensor was launched allowed modelers to use the data only 10 months 

after launch.



The processing centers acknowledge that much needs to be done for them 

to be able to incorporate NPOESS data into operational products. 

Officials at the processing centers reported that they should be able 

to use some EDRs after only minor changes to their data processing 

algorithms and models, because these products are expected to be 

comparable to current products. Other EDRs, however, involve new data 

and will require major scientific advances in order to be used. That 

is, the centers will not be able to use these data until they conduct 

new scientific investigations and determine how to best use the data in 

their derived products and models. In fact, the three centers that are 

the heaviest planned users of NPOESS EDRs reported that about 45 

percent of the EDRs they plan to use would require major advances in 

science in order to be utilized. For example, NESDIS stated that it 

would take major science changes to be able to utilize all six of the 

key EDRs, including atmospheric vertical temperature profile, soil 

moisture, and sea surface winds. Table 4 lists the number of EDRs each 

of the processing centers plans to use and each centerï¿½s views of how 

many of those EDRs require major science changes. Appendix II 

identifies the EDRs that the centers reported as requiring major 

scientific advancements.



Table 4: Processing Centersï¿½ Views of the Usability of Planned NPOESS 

Products:



Processing center: NESDIS; Number of NPOESS EDRs each center plans to 

use: 55; Number of NPOESS EDRs requiring major scientific changes: 26.



Processing center: Air Force Weather Agency; Number of NPOESS EDRs each 

center plans to use: 38; Number of NPOESS EDRs requiring major 

scientific changes: 16.



Processing center: Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center; Number of NPOESS EDRs each center plans to use: 38; Number of 

NPOESS EDRs requiring major scientific changes: 16.



Processing center: Naval Oceanographic Office; Number of NPOESS EDRs 

each center plans to use: 15; Number of NPOESS EDRs requiring major 

scientific changes: 1.



[End of table]



:





Effective and efficient use of satellite data in weather products, 

warnings, and forecasts is critical to maximizing our national 

investment in new satellites. A committee representing the four 

processing centers noted that expedited incorporation of new satellite 

data into weather models is a key metric for measuring NPOESSï¿½ success. 

Given that understanding, the processing centers and the integrated 

program office have various efforts under way and planned to address 

challenges in effectively using new NPOESS data. Key initiatives 

include the following:



* Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation: In July 2001, NOAA and 

NASA formed a joint organization to accelerate the rate at which 

satellite data are put into operational use. While the center is 

currently focused on assimilating data from existing satellites, joint 

center scientists plan to undertake projects to accelerate the 

assimilation of future satellite data, including NPOESS data, into 

weather prediction models. The joint center received $750,000 in its 

fiscal year 2002 budget and requested $3.4 million for fiscal year 

2003. In a November 2001 letter to the processing centers, the 

integrated program office offered to help fund the joint center efforts 

to assimilate NPOESS data if the DOD processing centers were to join 

the joint center. The processing centers have discussed this option, 

but DOD has not yet made a final decision.



* Processing centersï¿½ assimilation projects: Two of the three military 

processing centers, the Air Force Weather Agency and the Navy Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, have developed programs 

to improve assimilation of high-resolution satellite data into their 

models. They have also developed a program that is designed to improve 

their models so that they will be able to use data from the NPOESS 

preparatory project, when they become available.



* Other government-sponsored studies: As noted in its risk reduction 

efforts, the integrated program office has funded studies--both 

simulations and data assimilation studies--to prepare for the NPOESS 

data. Since fiscal year 1995, the program office has reportedly spent 

more than $3 million on satellite data assimilation experiments and 

projects to develop techniques for processing satellite data. For 

example, the program office funded NOAA to develop methods to begin 

processing and assimilating sounding data from the advanced infrared 

sounder on a NASA satellite. This effort was expected to pave the way 

for processing and assimilating data from two sensors that will fly on 

the NPOESS preparatory project in early 2006 and on NPOESS in the 2008 

to 2009 timeframe.



Centers Have Time to Meet Challenges, but More Coordination and 

Definition of Plans Are Warranted:



Between now and the first NPOESS satellite launch, the four processing 

centers and the integrated program office have time to meet the 

challenges in effectively using NPOESS data, but more can be done to 

coordinate and define these efforts. The four centersï¿½ views on their 

ability to use NPOESS EDRs in their models and products highlighted 

that the centers are not always consistent on whether an NPOESS data 

product requires major scientific advancements or not. Specifically, 

the centersï¿½ views differ on over 30 EDRs. For example, in the case of 

one key EDR--atmospheric vertical temperature profile--one center 

states that it will require only minor software changes to use these 

data; another center states that it will require a major advancement in 

science to use the data; and a third states that it will not require a 

science change, but instead will require an upgrade to its supporting 

infrastructure. Appendix II lists the processing centersï¿½ views of 

which EDRs require major scientific advancements in order to be used.



While there may be valid reasons for some of these differences--such as 

the centersï¿½ differing uses for these EDRs or their varying customersï¿½ 

needs--the centers have not yet compared their differing views or 

identified opportunities for learning from other centersï¿½ expertise. 

Agency officials generally agreed that such coordination would be 

valuable and stated their intentions to coordinate.



In addition to coordinating on EDRs determined to pose scientific 

challenges, it will be important for the centers to identify what needs 

to be done to meet these major science challenges and to define their 

plans for doing so. However, the centers have not yet determined what 

actions are needed to effectively incorporate NPOESS EDRs in their 

respective models and derived products. Further, they have not yet 

established plans for addressing the specific EDRs that require major 

scientific advancements. Agency officials agreed that such planning is 

necessary and stated that they will likely accelerate these efforts 

after the development and production contract is awarded.



Clearly, there are opportunities for the processing centers to 

coordinate their particular concerns, learn from other centersï¿½ 

approaches, and define their plans for addressing challenges in using 

EDRs. Given the years it takes to effectively incorporate new satellite 

data into operational products, it is critical that such coordination 

and detailed planning occur so that NPOESS data can be effectively 

used.



:



In summary, todayï¿½s polar-orbiting weather satellite program is 

essential to a variety of civilian and military operations, ranging 

from weather warnings and forecasts to specialized weather products. 

NPOESS is expected to merge todayï¿½s two separate satellite systems into 

a single state-of-the-art weather and environmental monitoring 

satellite system to support all users. This new satellite system is 

expected to provide vast streams of data, far more than are currently 

handled by the four central processing centers. To prepare for these 

increased data volumes, the four data processing centers must address 

key data management challenges--including building up their respective 

infrastructures and working to be able to efficiently incorporate new 

data in their derived weather products and models. Because the NPOESS 

launch date is still several years in the future, the four processing 

centers and the integrated program office have time to continue to 

develop, define, and implement their plans to address key data 

management challenges.



Each of the processing centers is planning activities to build its 

capacity to handle increased volumes of data, but more can be done to 

coordinate and define these plans--including sharing information on 

what is needed in order for the centers to use particular weather 

products and developing a plan to address these scientific issues. 

Unless more is done to coordinate and define these plans, the centers 

could risk delays in using NPOESS data in operational weather products 

and forecasts.



:



:



:



This concludes my statement. I would be pleased to respond to any 

questions that you or other members of the Subcommittee may have at 

this time.



Contact and Acknowledgments:



[End of section]



If you have any questions regarding this testimony, please contact 

Linda Koontz at (202) 512-6240 or by E-mail at [email protected]. 

Individuals making key contributions to this testimony include Ronald 

Famous, Richard Hung, Tammi Nguyen, Colleen Phillips, Angela Watson, 

and Glenda Wright.



[End of section]



Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology:



The objectives of our review were to (1) provide an overview of our 

nationï¿½s polar-orbiting weather satellite program, (2) identify plans 

for the NPOESS program, and (3) identify key challenges in managing 

future NPOESS data volumes and the four processing centersï¿½ plans to 

address them.



To provide an overview of the nationï¿½s polar-orbiting weather satellite 

system, we reviewed NOAA and DOD documents and Web sites that describe 

the purpose and origin of the polar satellite program and the current 

POES and DMSP satellitesï¿½ supporting infrastructures. We assessed the 

polar satellite infrastructure to understand the relationships among 

the satellites, ground control stations, and satellite data processing 

centers. We also reviewed documents and interviewed officials at the 

integrated program office and four processing centers to identify the 

processes for transforming raw satellite data into derived weather 

products and weather prediction models.



To identify plans for the NPOESS program, we obtained and reviewed 

documents that describe the programï¿½s origin and purpose, and 

interviewed integrated program office officials to determine the 

programï¿½s background, status, and plans. We assessed the NPOESS 

acquisition strategy and program risk reduction efforts to understand 

how the program office plans to manage the acquisition and mitigate the 

risks to successful NPOESS implementation. We reviewed descriptions of 

each of the NPOESS sensors and assessed NPOESS program requirement 

documents to determine the types of products that NPOESS will produce 

and how these products will be used.



To assess NPOESS data management challenges, we reviewed documents from 

the program office and the four processing centers and discussed 

challenges with DOD and NOAA officials. We assessed descriptions of 

each centerï¿½s current and planned polar satellite infrastructure to 

identify plans for infrastructure growth. We also identified each 

processing centersï¿½ views on which NPOESS products will require 

infrastructure changes or scientific advancements in order to be used. 

We analyzed this information to determine whether the centers face 

challenges in their ability to process NPOESS data and their scientific 

capability to assimilate NPOESS data into their weather prediction 

models. We reviewed documents that describe NOAA, DOD, and integrated 

program office efforts to address the challenges that we identified, 

and we evaluated current and planned efforts to address those 

challenges. We interviewed program office and processing center 

officials to discuss these documents and their plans to address NPOESS 

data management challenges.



We obtained comments from NOAA and DOD officials on the facts contained 

in this statement. These officials generally agreed with the facts as 

presented and provided some technical corrections, which we have 

incorporated. We performed our work at the NPOESS Integrated Program 

Office, located at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland; the 

NESDIS Central Satellite Data Processing Center in Suitland, Maryland; 

the NCEP Environmental Modeling Center in Camp Springs, Maryland; the 

Air Force Weather Agency at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska; 

the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center in Monterey, 

California; and the Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center 

in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Our work was performed between October 

2001 and July 2002 in accordance with generally accepted government 

auditing standards.



[End of section]



Appendix II: Processing Centersï¿½ Views of Which NPOESS EDRs Require 

Major Scientific Advancements:



(Continued From Previous Page)



Data category: Key; Environmental data record: Atmospheric vertical 

moisture profile; Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: No; 

Processing center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center: No; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: -[A]; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: Yes/No.



Environmental data record: Atmospheric vertical temperature profile; 

Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: No; Processing center 

view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: No; 

Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; Processing 

center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: Yes/No.



Environmental data record: : Imagery; Processing center view: Air Force 

Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes/No.



Environmental data record: : Sea surface temperature; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : Yes; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : Yes/No.



Environmental data record: : Sea surface winds; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes/No.



Environmental data record: : Soil moisture; Processing center view: Air 

Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Data category: Atmosphere; Environmental data record: Aerosol optical 

thickness; Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: Yes; 

Processing center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center: No; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: No; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Aerosol particle size; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Aerosol refractive index; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Outgoing long-wave radiation; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : -; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Ozone total column/profile; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Precipitable water; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Precipitation type/rate; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Pressure (surface/profile); Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : Yes/No.



Environmental data record: : Suspended matter; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Total water content; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Data category: Cloud; Environmental data record: Cloud base height; 

Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: Yes; Processing 

center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: Yes; 

Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; Processing 

center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud cover/layers; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud effective particle size; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud ice water path; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud liquid water; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud optical thickness; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud particle size/distribution; 

Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : 

Yes; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud top height; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud top pressure; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Cloud top temperature; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Data category: Earth radiation budget; Environmental data record: 

Albedo; Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: No; 

Processing center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center: No; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: No.



Environmental data record: Downward long-wave radiance; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: Yes.



Environmental data record: Downward short-wave radiance; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: Yes.



Data category: Land; Environmental data record: Land surface 

temperature; Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: No; 

Processing center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center: Yes; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: Yes.



Environmental data record: : Snow cover/depth; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Surface type; Processing center view: Air 

Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Vegetation index; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No.



Data category: Ocean/water; Environmental data record: Ice surface 

temperature; Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: ï¿½; 

Processing center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center: No; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: Yes.



Environmental data record: : Net heat flux; Processing center view: Air 

Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Naval 

Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : 

Yes.



Environmental data record: : Net solar radiation; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Ocean color/chlorophyll; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Ocean wave characteristics; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Environmental data record: : Sea ice characteristics; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : No; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes/No.



Environmental data record: : Sea surface height/topography; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Surface wind stress; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : Yes; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : Yes.



Data category: Space environment; Environmental data record: Auroral 

boundary; Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: No; 

Processing center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography 

Center: ï¿½; Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; 

Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: No.



Environmental data record: Auroral energy deposition; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: No; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: ï¿½; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: No.



Environmental data record: : Auroral imagery; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Naval 

Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : 

No.



Environmental data record: : Electric fields; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Electron density profile; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Energetic ions; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Naval 

Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : 

No.



Environmental data record: : Geomagnetic field; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Naval 

Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : 

No.



Environmental data record: : In-situ plasma fluctuations; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : In-situ plasma temperature; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Ionospheric scintillation; Processing 

center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: 

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : No; Processing center view: 

NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Neutral density profile; Processing center 

view: Air Force Weather Agency: : Yes; Processing center view: Fleet 

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center 

view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : No/Yes.



Environmental data record: : Medium energy charged particles; 

Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing 

center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; 

Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Solar irradiance; Processing center view: 

Air Force Weather Agency: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; Processing center view: Naval 

Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : 

No.



Environmental data record: : Suprathermal/auroral particles; 

Processing center view: Air Force Weather Agency: : No; Processing 

center view: Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : ï¿½; 

Processing center view: Naval Oceanographic Office: : ï¿½; Processing 

center view: NESDIS/ NCEP[B]: : No.



Environmental data record: : Total yes; Processing center view: Air 

Force Weather Agency: : 16; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : 16; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : 1; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : 26/30.



Environmental data record: : Total no; Processing center view: Air 

Force Weather Agency: : 22; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : 22; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : 14; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : 29/25.



Environmental data record: : Total -[A]; Processing center view: Air 

Force Weather Agency: : 17; Processing center view: Fleet Numerical 

Meteorology and Oceanography Center: : 17; Processing center view: 

Naval Oceanographic Office: : 40; Processing center view: NESDIS/ 

NCEP[B]: : 0.



[A] A dash indicates that a center does not plan to use the EDR.



[B] Where noted, NESDIS and NCEP offered different views because of 

each entityï¿½s different products. 

:



[End of table]



:



:



FOOTNOTES



[1] Within NOAA, NESDIS processes the satellite data, and the National 

Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), a component of NOAAï¿½s 

National Weather Service, runs the models. For simplicity, we refer to 

the combined NESDIS/NCEP processing center as the NESDIS processing 

center. 



[2] NOAA uses different nomenclature for its data processing stages: 

raw data are known as level 0 data; raw data records are known as level 

1a data; temperature data records and sensor data records are known as 

level 1b data; and environmental data records are known as level 2 

data.



[3] Volcanic ash presents a hazard to aviation because of its potential 

to damage engines.



[4] The four sensors supporting key EDRs are (1) the advanced 

technology microwave sounder, (2) the conical microwave imager/sounder, 

(3) the cross-track infrared sounder, and (4) the visible/infrared 

imager radiometer suite.



[5] The five sensors include (1) the conical microwave imager/sounder, 

(2) the cross-track infrared sounder, (3) the global positioning system 

occultation sensor, (4) the ozone mapper/profiler suite, and (5) the 

visible/infrared imager radiometer suite.



[6] The five program office-developed sensors are (1) the cross-track 

infrared sounder

(2) the conical microwave imager/sounder, (3) the global positioning 

system occultation sensor, (4) the ozone mapper/profiler suite, and (5) 

the visible/infrared imager radiometer suite.



[7] NASA is developing the advanced technology microwave sounder 

sensor.



[8] National Research Council, From Research to Operations in Weather 

Satellites and Numerical Weather Prediction: Crossing the Valley of 

Death (2000).