NASA-NOAA Cooperative Supports for Aqua and Aura Missions
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1 NOAA-NASA Cooperative Supports for Aqua and Aura Missions Larry Ledlow Senior Systems Engineer NOAA/NESDIS Fairbanks CDA Station GSAW 2005 Working Group Session “Teaming Early, Teaming Often” March 2, 2005
description
How NOAA and NASA established an effective working relationship at the Fairbanks Command and Data Acquisition Station. Presented at the 2005 Ground Systems Architecture Workshop.
Transcript of NASA-NOAA Cooperative Supports for Aqua and Aura Missions
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NOAA-NASA Cooperative Supports for Aqua and Aura Missions
Larry LedlowSenior Systems Engineer
NOAA/NESDIS Fairbanks CDA Station
GSAW 2005 Working Group Session
“Teaming Early, Teaming Often”March 2, 2005
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What’s the Big Picture?
In late 2003, NOAA and NASA signed an MOU…“…to establish mission support status in order to provide contingency
back-up support in the event of planned and unplanned resource or system outages or spacecraft emergency.”
Applicable resourcesNASA: Poker Flat, Alaska; Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), Virginia; Merritt Island/Ponce de Leon (MILA/PDL), Florida; Santiago, Chile; and McMurdo, Antarctica. NOAA: Fairbanks and Wallops CDA Stations; GOES Backup Station (Greenbelt, MD).
ConditionsFunding reimbursement unnecessary in most cases.Supports carried out on a basis of non-interference...but flexible!
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FYI: Historical Precedents
Basic Agreement Between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U. S. Department of Commerce Concerning Collaborative Programs, dated June 17, 1998.
Memorandum Of Agreement Between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration of the U. S. Department of Commerce for Cooperation in the Geostationary-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite Program (GOES), dated April 17, 1998.
Memorandum Of Agreement Between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration of the U. S. Department of Commerce for Cooperation in the Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite Program (POES), dated April 17, 1998.
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What’s the Problem?
Two key issues addressed
Primary purpose of the cooperative agreement is RISK REDUCTION to environmental spacecraft operations.
Supported services include communications, tracking, and data acquisition.
Result is increased reliability of data provision to meet key NOAA and NASA responsibilities
E.g., Maritime and aviation safety, environmental research data
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Why Collaborate?
“The sum of the parts is greater than the whole.”Knowledge that there is more than one method for conducting spacecraft tracking and data acquisition expands the experience base of both agencies.
Both NASA and NOAA have extensive environmental satellite operations experience.
Both agencies have “global” missions.Interagency cooperation serves national and international interests.
Technical capabilities similar.
Overlap of some station geographic coverage, especially at northern polar ground stations.
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Who’s Involved?
NOAA/NESDISOffice of Satellite Operations
Fairbanks CDA Station (Gilmore Creek)SOCC (Suitland)
NASA GSFC/WFFGround Network
Poker Flat Ground StationHoneywell-TSI
Earth Observation SystemsAqua & Aura Flight OperationsEOS Data Operations System (EDOS)
Data Services Management Center (DSMC)NASA Communications (NASCOM)Flight Dynamics Facility
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How Did You Do It?
First instance of support under the MOU was to certify Fairbanks CDA Station for Aqua.
Certify at least one antenna for Aqua TT&C and X-band playbackMid-term objective to certify all three 13-meter FCDAS antennas for Aqua and Aura
Main tasksModify FCDAS interfaces to GSFC (GSIP and GSIF)Upgrade station hardware for X-band high-data-rate downlinkDevelop test plan and scheduling protocolEngineering testsFormal certification tests and discrepancy reporting/resolution
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FCDAS Overview
21m 13m-A 13m-B 13m-C
26m (POES/GOES backup)
GOES-9 Coriolis, Aqua, AuraPOESDMSP
DOMSAT1
DOMSAT2
To SOCC
To AFWA
GSIP1
GSIF
Modem Bank
CortexX-band Rx
GSIP2
ToGSFC
Barrow 3m (POES/HRPT)
IJPS upgrades add X-band 400+ Mbps
capabilities to all three 13m systems
Three 13m systems
redundant for POES/DMSP
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FCDAS EOS Configuration
13m-CS-band
MICRODYNE RXLHCP
SD
IN-SNECCORTEX HDR
MICRODYNE RXRHCP
TSS-2000 TX
A B C D E F G HSELECTED
ON-LINE COMBINER
HEWLETTPACKARD
GSIF*
HEWLETTPACKARD
GSIP2
HEWLETTPACKARD
GSIP1
X-band
CISCOSYSTEMS
CISCOSYSTEMS BIT SYNCCOMMAND DATA
524 kbps/16kbps S-band TLM
UPLINK
* NASA equipment
GDP PSK Modulator*
GDP PSK Modulator*
COMMAND DATA
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Did it Work?
YES!13m-3/C certified for Aqua first, then Aura.
Successful effort proved crucial when Poker Flat had to be evacuated due to wildfires in late June 2004.
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Boundary Fire 2004
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July 2nd
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Early July Fire Extent
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NASA Site at Poker Flat
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MODIS from Aqua Satellite
Sea ice
NORTH SLOPE
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What Helped? (1/2)
Senior management buy-in
TechnologyNew programmable Cortex HDR receiver configurable by software
Detailed written test planEnabled agreement on test steps, progress, and procedures to be achieved across all elements participating in the integration effort.
Incremental testing
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What Helped (2/2)
FCDAS permits flexible resource allocation on 13-meter systems.
Added daytime scheduler to FCDAS staff to better handle real-time support requests.
Effective low-level technical and operations staff communications
Responsiveness rapidly improved with familiarity and frequency of emails, phone calls, scheduled contacts, etc. “Do what it takes” attitude.
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What Didn’t? (1/2)
General Communications & Procedural DifferencesBoth agencies’ sat ops staff have different paradigms and terminologies.
Resolved through experience and frequent, open communications. We are now able to work through the unanticipated disconnects quickly as they are discovered.
The exchange of technical information is not sufficient to establish interoperation between two established entities.
Failed initially to identify all participating elements and support personnel to be involved, and provide clear definitions of roles and responsibilities.
Clearly defined central management authorities on both sides would have helped assure smoother execution (at first).
These problems rectified for follow-on certification tests.
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What Didn’t? (2/2)
NOAA-NASA MOU does not accommodate more than casual support to maintain proficiency.
More frequent practice is needed to maintain the ability to support another mode of operations effectively.FCDAS can shadow AGS supports. Prior arrangements needed with EDOS for data quality checks.Not all shifts (FCDAS and Flight Ops) have had equal experience with joint supports. More regular contacts will help.
Technical incompatibility for tracking information exchange.
Antenna angle and Doppler tracking data for FDF was not successful; interfaces not plug-’n’-play.
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What’s Next?
Aqua/Aura certifications for 13-1/A and 13-2/B underway
Goal is to have at least one other 13-meter system (and preferably both) at FCDAS certified by 1st of June.Test plans in review.Remaining IJPS and GSIP/GSIF hardware modifications to be completed before certification begins.Command uplink PSK modulator to be added to backup GSIP, thus having redundant paths.
More collaborative efforts!
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