December |
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| • | The GOES-R Proving Ground FY12 Annual Report is now available! |
| • | New GOES-R/JPSS ruler bookmarks are available! Download yours! |
| • | New fact sheet available! Learn more about the GOES-R Ground System. |
November |
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| • | The GOES-R Program successfully passed the Mission Critical Design Review (MCDR) – Part II on November 9, 2012. The program was rated "Green" for 4 of the 5 MCDR Success Criteria and "Yellow" for MCDR Success Criterion #5 (Adequate Technical and Programmatic Margin) of which the Standing Review Board (SRB) continues to be concerned about the tight development schedule with meeting the GOES-R launch readiness date and concern about the Program’s low financial reserve posture. Despite this, the SRB was extremely pleased with the significant progress the Program has made to date and noted how well the NOAA & NASA partnership is working. |
October |
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| • | The GOES Rebroadcast Product Users’ Guide is now available. |
September |
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| • | GOES-R Proving Ground effort featured on KITV in Hawaii. Installation of an L/X-band antenna in Honolulu, Hawaii, was one of this summer's major GOES-R Proving Ground projects. A story about this new antenna at the Honolulu Community College was recently featured on KITV in Hawaii. The tracking antenna, installed on August 8, 2012, is part of the GOES-R Proving Ground and datasets from this dish are being sent to the Honolulu Forecast Office and Pacific Region Headquarters for review and analysis. This satellite information is critical for the Hawaiian Islands, which are isolated by water. |
| • | The GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP) prime contractor, Harris Corporation, completed installation of the Mission Management Prototype (MMP) in the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF). An on-site demonstration was conducted on 9/11/12 and the MMP will be available to the GOES-R Mission Operations Support Team on 9/14/12. On-the-job training will be conducted 9/14-9/21/12. |
| • | Spaceflight Now highlights the improvements GOES-R will bring to hurricane forecasting. |
August |
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| • | The GOES Rebroadcast (GRB) Downlink Specifications are now available. |
| • | GOES-R, featured in the August 13, 2012 edition of the Sun Sentinel, highlighting the advancements the satellite series, will offer hurricane forecasting. Read Story: New Weather Satellites to Boost Hurricane Forecasts |
| • | The GOES Rebroadcast (GRB) Downlink Specifications are now available. |
| • | Spaceflight Now highlights the improvements GOES-R will bring to hurricane forecasting. |
July |
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| • | The GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP) successfully completed its Project-level Critical Design Review (CDR) July 24-26, 2012 in Greenbelt, MD. The Independent Integrated Review Team (IIRT) gave the GSP Green ratings in all ten category areas. The GSP received 7 Requests for Action (RFA) and 3 Advisories from the IIRT. In the CDR outbrief package, the IIRT commented on the following strengths demonstrated by the GSP team:
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| • | GOES-R is on Wikipedia! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOES-R |
June |
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| • | The Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS), an affiliated development of the GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP), successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) of its interface with the Ground Segment on May 31, 2012. Read the press release on the CLASS CDR. |
| • | Saft has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to provide lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries for the first two Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites R series (GOES-R and GOES-S). |
| • | The GOES-R Series Program completed the joint NOAA/NASA Program Management Council (PMC) review for GOES-R Key Decision Point (KDP)-II/C Confirmation Review on May 16, 2012. Based on the review and the program readiness documents, the PMC formally approved the GOES-R Series Program to continue into critical design phase. |
April |
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| • | The 2012 NOAA Satellite Science Week was held April 30 - May 4, 2012, in Kansas City, MO. GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG), Proving Ground, and Risk Reduction annual meetings were held there. Agenda |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) concurred with Antenna System Contractor, Harris Corporation, at the completion of the Pre-Ship Review (PSR) for the shipment of the structural components for Antenna #2 (W-2) to Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS). Shipment of the structural components for Antenna #2 (W-2) to WCDAS will commence on April 30 and take approximately four days to arrive. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Core GS prime Contractor, Harris, successfully completed the Core GS CDR in Melbourne, FL April 23-27, 2012. |
| • | The Spacecraft System Critical Design Review (CDR) was held April16-20, 2012 at Lockheed Martin in Littleton, CO. Press Release. |
| • | On April 4, 2012 National Geographic Severe Storm Researcher, Tim Samaras, GOES-R Observatory Manager Paul Richards, and GOES-R Program Scientist Dr. Steve Goodman participated in the Goddard Engage Lunch and Learn Series. The trio explained how GOES-R will support the improvement of weather monitoring and Mr. Samaras explained how he uses GOES data to chase storms. The event took place from 1:30-2:30 pm in the GSFC Building 8 auditorium. |
| • | A Live Media Event: GOES and the 2012 Tornado Season: Satellites and their critical role in weather forecasting and creating a weather-ready nation were the focus of a national media tour featuring NOAA Deputy Administrator Kathryn Sullivan and storm researcher Tim Samara. Highlighted was GOES-R, the next generation of geostationary weather satellites, that is scheduled to launch in 2015. This collaborative satellite development between NOAA and NASA will provide continuous imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth's Western Hemisphere and space weather monitoring. The event took place at Goddard Space Flight Center’s state-of-the-art TV Studio on April 3, 2012. Video and Photos |
March |
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| • | Harris successfully completed the System Integration Review (SIR) for Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS) Antenna structures #1 and #2 and the Pre-Ship Review (PSR) for Antenna structure #1 on March 28, 2012. The structure components for the antenna #1 will be shipped by truck from Wortham, TX and are scheduled to arrive at WCDAS April 9-11. |
| • | The GOES-R Proving Ground satellite champion for the National Weather Service (NWS) Aviation Weather Center (AWC) was selected and begins her work as a University of Wisconsin (UW)-Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) research scientist detailed to AWC in mid-April. The satellite champion serves as a subject matter expert for GOES-R aviation products and liaison between the Algorithm Working Group (AWG) algorithm developers and the forecasters to better enable the evaluation, training, and transition of GOES-R products from research to operations. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Core GS prime Contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed the Core GS Enterprise Management / Infrastructure (EM/IS) Element Critical Design Review (CDR) March 19-23, 2012 in Melbourne, FL. Harris successfully demonstrated that all the entrance and success criteria have been met. |
| • | The GOES-R Antenna System contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed the Pre-Ship Review (PSR) for the Antenna System Interface Simulator (ASIS) the week of March 19, 2012. The completion of this milestone is a step in the process leading to Government acceptance of the ASIS and its subsequent transfer to the Core GS as Government-Furnished Property (GFP). Government and Harris contracts personnel have agreed upon the paperwork required to be submitted for the acceptance and sign-off by the NOAA Contracting Officer (CO). |
| • | The Mission Management Element Critical Design Review (CDR) was held March 12-16, 2012 in Melbourne, FL. Harris successfully demonstrated that all the entrance and success criteria have been met. |
| • | The GOES-R Key Decision Point – "C" Confirmation Readiness Review with the GSFC Center Management Council was held on Tuesday, March 13th at Goddard. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Core GS prime Contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed the Core GS Product Generation (PG) Element Critical Design Review (CDR) March 5-9, 2012 in Melbourne, FL. Harris successfully demonstrated that all the entrance and success criteria have been met. |
| • | The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology (OFCM) Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference (IHC) was held March 5-8, in Charleston, SC with both programmatic and science presentations. The GOES-R Proving Ground project at the National Hurricane Center held a splinter meeting with those participants attending the IHC to review demonstration plans for the upcoming hurricane season. |
| • | The GOES-R Series Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) spaceflight instrument Engineering Development Unit completed optical-electronic lightning sensitivity testing in January at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto and showed excellent performance. |
| • | GOES-R Program Senior Scientist Steve Goodman was interviewed by WBAL radio’s Mary Beth Marsden on Friday March 2, 2012, about the recent tornado outbreaks. Dr. Goodman spoke about current tornado warning and detection systems and about future GOES-R capabilities for improved tornado warnings. |
| • | With the devastating tornado breakouts GOES-R has received media attention about the future capabilities that our satellites will provide in helping to improve tornado detection. Here are a few links to some of the stories running: |
| » | The Pittsburgh Post Gazette: New Satellites to Improve Tornado Warnings |
| » | WDBJ7.com: New NASA satellite sees tornadoes like never before- (Video) The satellite is expected to give 7 more minutes of lead time in tornado warnings. |
| » | WTVR TV – Richmond, VA: NASA Satellite Technology Will Help Better Detect Tornadoes |
| » | Scientific American: A Better Eye on the Storm |
| » | The Oklahoman: Stargazing: Technology Lets Us Stay in the Battle Against Severe Weather |
| » | WJZ Baltimore News: New Satellites Track Tornadoes as They Develop |
| » | Satellite Spotlight: New GOES-R Weather Satellite Should Help Detect Severe Weather |
| » | CNN Light Years: NASA, NOAA team up for satellite to increase tornado warning times |
| » | NASA Science News: Next-Gen Weather Satellites to Improve Tornado Warnings |
February |
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| • | The Spacecraft Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS) CDR took place February 27-29, 2012, at Lockheed Martin in Newtown, PA. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Core GS prime Contractor, Harris Corporation completed the Core GS Enterprise Management / Infrastructure (EM/IS) Element CDR Dry Run in Melbourne, FL. The review was notable in the broad level of participation in the presentations by the Harris EM/IS team, and their demonstration of detail and substance in the design, as well as its maturity. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Core GS prime Contractor, Harris Corporation successfully completed the Core GS Product Distribution (PD) Element Critical Design Review (CDR) in Melbourne, FL. The review went well and was rated Green for all success criteria. There were 13 actions written along with lessons learned provided for the upcoming Core GS Element CDRs. |
| • | The Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) subsystem Critical Design Review (CDR) was successfully held February 20-24, 2012. |
| • | The GOES-R Mission Preliminary Design Review – Part II will be held February 28-29, 2012, in the GOES-R Program Offices at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The review will focus on programmatic elements of the mission. |
| • | Presentations from the 92nd AMS Annual Meeting / 8th Annual Symposium on Future Operational Environmental Satellite Systems are now posted. |
| • | The GOES-R Mission Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Part II Dry-Run was held at GSFC February 8-10, 2012. The Mission PDR – Part II will be held February 28-29, 2012 in the GOES-R Program Offices at the Goddard Space Flight Center. |
| • | The GOES-R Chief Scientist provided a Program Status update at the Warn on Forecast and High Impact Weather Joint Workshop which took place February 7-9, 2012 in Norman, OK. Operational readiness in the GOES-R era was a significant source of discussions throughout the workshop. |
| • | The spacecraft completed the Solar Wing and Command and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) the week of February 6, 2012. |
January |
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| • | GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP) prime contractor, Harris Corporation, completed the Mission Management Storage (MMS) Detailed Design Review (DDR) covering three Computer Software Components (CSC): Telemetry Data Manager; Telemetry Data Manager Integration; and Mission Operations Database (MODB) Editor. Harris also completed the Product Generation (PG) Level 2 Ancillary Data Relay System (ADRS) GS Data Interface DDR. (Contact: Vanessa Griffin, 301-286-1760) |
| • | The GOES-R Spacecraft held a successful Battery Critical Design Review (CDR) January 18-19, 2012 at Saft America Inc. in Cockeysville, MD. |
| • | The Cooperative Program for Meteorology Education and Training (COMET) announced the publication of 'Monitoring the Climate System with Satellites.' This 2-hour module, jointly funded by GOES-R, Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), describes the unique role that environmental satellites play in monitoring the Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) that are key for measuring the climate system. Satellites are uniquely positioned to provide broad, spatially consistent, and continuous global sampling of many ECVs. Module |
| • | The GOES-R Program and the other conference co-chairs from NESDIS International Affairs, Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO), and Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) participated in a briefing for Mary Kicza, the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services, on a proposal for a NOAA Satellite Conference to be held April 8-12, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Conference would provide NOAA a single venue to focus on and connect with the Direct Readout, GOES, POES, and JPSS user communities. Approval for the Conference was approved and planning activities will commence accordingly. |
| • | The foundations for Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS) GOES-R Antenna Sites 5 and 8 have been completed. |
| • | GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP) prime contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed the two-day Space-to-Ground Communications (SGC) system and Raw Data Recorder (RDR) Critical Design Review (CDR) in Columbia, MD. Harris subcontractor Honeywell presented a good level of detail on the SGC/RDR design to meet the requirements levied from Harris and no major disconnects were identified in the design. |
| • | The GOES-R Spacecraft completed the Solar Array Q-Board Mission Readiness Review (MRR). |