nasa/us ocean satellite missions
DESCRIPTION
NASA/US Ocean Satellite Missions. Eric J. Lindstrom 28 February 2008. OUTLINE. NASA operating missions (13, 6 ocean) NASA missions in implementation and formulation to launch 2008-2015 (9, 4 ocean) NASA missions beyond 2015 (11, 5 ocean) Challenges/Assessment - Transitions to Operations. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Eric J. Lindstrom28 February 2008
NASA/US Ocean Satellite Missions
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OUTLINE
• NASA operating missions (13, 6 ocean)
• NASA missions in implementation and formulation to launch 2008-2015
(9, 4 ocean)
• NASA missions beyond 2015 (11, 5 ocean)
• Challenges/Assessment - Transitions to Operations
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NASA Ocean Missions
SeaWiFSSSM/ISARs (variety)AVHRRMetop (OVSW)Color (MERIS)
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Missions in Development (launch by 2015)
OSTM6/2008
OCO12/2008
GLORY2/2009
NPP9/2009
AQUARIUS5/2010
LDCM7/2011
GPM6/2013, 6/2014
ICESAT-22015SMAP 2012
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Decadal Survey Mission Mission Description Orbit InstrumentsHyspIRI Land surface composition for
agriculture and mineral characterization; vegetation types for ecosystem health
LEO, SSO Hyperspectral spectrometer
ASCENDS Day/night, all-latitude, all-season CO2 column integrals for climate emissions
LEO, SSO Multifrequency laser
SWOT Ocean, lake, and river water levels for ocean and inland water dynamics
LEO, SSO Ka-band wide swath radarC-band radar
GEO-CAPE
Atmospheric gas columns for air quality forecasts; ocean color for coastal ecosystem health and climate emissions
GEO High and low spatial resolution hyperspectral imagers
ACE Aerosol and cloud profiles for climate and water cycle; ocean color for open ocean biogeochemistry
LEO, SSO Backscatter lidarMultiangle polarimeterDoppler radar
NASA Mid-Term Missions (5/15 total)
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*Cloud-independent, high temporal resolution, lower accuracy SST to complement, not replace, global operational high-accuracy SST measurement
Decadal Survey Mission Mission Description Orbit InstrumentsLIST Land surface topography for
landslide hazards and water runoffLEO, SSO Laser altimeter
PATH High frequency, all-weather temperature and humidity soundings for weather forecasting and SST*
GEO MW array spectrometer
GRACE-II High temporal resolution gravity fields for tracking large-scale water movement
LEO, SSO Microwave or laser ranging system
SCLP Snow accumulation for fresh water availability
LEO, SSO Ku and X-band radarsK and Ka-band radiometers
GACM Ozone and related gases for intercontinental air quality and stratospheric ozone layer prediction
LEO, SSO UV spectrometerIR spectrometerMicrowave limb sounder
3D-Winds(Demo)
Tropospheric winds for weather forecasting and pollution transport
LEO, SSO Doppler lidar
NASA Far-Term Missions (6/15 total)
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CHALLENGES AND ASSESSMENTS
• In some sense ocean measurements from space are “overdue” for transition from research to operations.
Summarizing the near future “infrastructure” for ocean remote sensing:
• Ocean color - transition not secure due to technical problems on NPP/VIIRS instrument
• Sea Surface Temperature - transition secure with NPP, NPOESS and foreign partners
• Ocean Vector Winds - transition not secure (Quikscat 9 years on orbit!)
• Ocean Surface Topography (sea level) - transition nearly made. National need to “seal the deal” with implementation of Jason-3 in FY10.
• WE HAVE MADE MUCH PROGRESS, BUT WE RISK LOSING CRITICAL CAPABILITIES.