December |
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| • | Brazil's National Institute for Space Research is holding a field campaign to improve sensors that will be aboard the next generation of geostationary satellites (GOES-R). |
| • | The spacecraft completed the System Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) for the UHF and S-Band receiver and the Reference Divider the week of December 5, 2011. |
| • | Final selections for the GOES-R Visiting Scientist Program (VSP) are complete and award letters are in process for the 11 selected proposals of 20 submitted. The VSP will support travel and collaboration among our federal partner laboratories, university cooperative institutes, end users, and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Satellite Application Facilities. |
| • | The GOES-R Ground Segment Project (GSP) successfully completed the Antenna CDR in Melbourne, FL. |
| • | New and improved Version 1.1 of the GOES-R Satellite Insight iOS app is now available at iTunes. The latest version offers Spanish language support, additional information about GOES-R, and "quick instructions" popup at start of game. Download now! |
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Read what the LA Times had to say about the "GOES-R Satellite Insight app!" More praise for "Satellite Insight." Check out the Satnews review of the GOES-R app! Even more kudos for "Satellite Insight" from The Storm Watch 7 Weather Blog in Washington, DC. |
November |
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| • | The GSP and Antenna System Prime Contractor Harris Corporation completed the System Integration Review (SIR) for the Remote Backup Unit (RBU) Antenna Site Prep and Construction on November 30, 3011. The GSP gave Harris the approval to go forward with construction at the RBU site in Fairmont, WV. |
| • | The MIT-Lincoln Lab and the GOES-R Calibration Working Group (CWG) Semi-Annual Reviews were conducted on November 29th and 30th. Meetings were successful as a forum on addressing activities related to GOES-R L1b data integrity to share information about important calibration and L1b algorithm activities occurring across the GOES-R Program and covering progress in pre-launch data analysis efforts and development of cal/val capabilities for ground and post-launch support. |
| • | CIMSS GOES-R Proving Ground activities were featured in the Wisconsin State Journal on Nov. 27, 2011. |
| • | Dr. Steve Goodman, GOES-R Program Senior Scientist, has been appointed to the inaugural Council of NOAA Fellows (CNF). The CNF will provide superior scientific advice and support as needed by NOAA leadership with regard to the many scientific challenges that NOAA addresses on a daily basis. The CNF consists of all NOAA employees who occupy Senior Scientist (ST) or Senior Leader (SL) positions — these are leading research scientists and advisors at NOAA who have demonstrated a career of dedication to the advancement of science. They are not only NOAA’s scientific elite, but they also are recognized around the world as leaders in their respective fields. Dr. Steven Goodman’s research specialization includes the remote sensing of thunderstorms, lightning and precipitation processes, and the application of space-based remote sensing to improve nowcasting and short-range forecasts of convective weather hazards. As the senior program scientist for the GOES-R Program, Dr. Goodman serves as the primary science authority for the nation’s next generation geostationary environmental satellite program, a joint agency development managed by NOAA and NASA. He is a past recipient of the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement for his research on severe storms and in 2011 was named a fellow of the American Meteorological Society. |
| • | The Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of GOES-R continues. The Program has been collecting a number of documents requested by GAO and preparing answers in preparation for the next face-to-face meeting on Nov. 7th. |
| • | The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) Proto Flight Model (PFM) is powered and Bench Test Phase 1 [with surrogate Circuit Card Assemblies (CCAs)] is underway. System integration completed on 11/4, followed by cable-up and isolation checks and first application of power on 11/7. |
| • | The Comprehensive Large Array data Stewardship System (CLASS) successfully completed the Archive and Access Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in Ashville, NC. All the comments submitted from GSP, the NOAA Data Centers [National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)] and others were successfully reviewed and adjudicated. |
| • | The CHUVA experiment Special Operations Period (SOP) concluded its first week of the international lightning campaign in the vicinity of Sao Paulo, Brazil in collaboration with the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (InPE), and the NOAA Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) science team. The CHUVA is a pre-launch ground validation campaign led by InPE in support of the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Global Precipitation Missions (GPM). The NOAA-NASA Sao Paulo Lightning Mapping Array (SPLMA) component has fielded 11 of the planned 12 stations with internet access operational at 8 sites. |
October |
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| • | GOES-R team members formed a human pink ribbon as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Day and fundraiser on October 26, 2011. The event was part of the national "Casual Up" campaign, in which employees can dress down and raise money to fight breast cancer. Team members donated a minimum of $5 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to take part in this event and over $350 was raised in total. Thanks to all who participated! |
| • | GOES-R's Tim Schmit received the T. Theodore Fujita Research Achievement Award at the 2011 National Weather Association annual meeting in Birmingham, AL. This award, for excellence in promoting and extending the use of satellite data within the operational community, is the association’s highest honor for a member whose research has significantly contributed to the field of operational meteorology. Congratulations Tim! |
| • | The 7th GOES Users’ Conference (GUC) was held October 19-21, 2011 in Birmingham, AL. The GUC brought together operational forecasters, broadcasters, researchers, and scientists to better understand and maximize the use and impact of satellite data, information, and products and prepare for the launch of the GOES-R Series. Photos |
September |
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| • | Future Capability 100% Algorithm Packages were delivered by the Algorithm Working Group (AWG) on September 30, 2011. |
| • | Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) Solar Galactic Proton Sensor (SGPS) and Magnetospheric Particle Sensor – High Energy (MPS-Hi) Pre-Environmental Reviews (PERs) were successfully conducted the week of September 26, 2011. The SGPS PER resulted in one action item and two recommendations. The MPS-HI PER generated 12 actions / recommendations. Several liens were identified that must be successfully resolved before environmental tests can begin. None are show stoppers, but minor issues discovered during unit test. A review of the path forward to closure of each of the liens will be conducted prior to the start of test. Environmental test is planned to begin for SGPS and MPS-HI in late November beginning with Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) tests. |
| • | GOES-R Science Week was held September 19-23, in Huntsville, Alabama. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) Core GS prime contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed the Software Requirements Review (SWRR) for the Product Generation (PG) Level 2 Processing Computer Software Configuration Item (CSCI) for the Land, Hydrology, and Ocean Release 2 Algorithm Computer Software Component (CSC) the week of September 12, 2011. This is the final SWRR for the Level 2 algorithms. |
| • | Antenna Pad construction at Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (CDAS) started the week of September 12, 2011 with the dismantling and removal of the old communications tower. GSP Antenna System contractor Harris also provided a repeat Systems Integration Review (SIR) for the NASA Wallops Flight Facility personnel who were unable to attend the first SIR last month. |
| • | The GOES-R "Satellite Insight" game for iPhone and other iOS devices is now available on iTunes. It’s free! It’s challenging! It’s fun! Colored blocks represent different types of data gathered by GOES-R’s amazing science instruments. The data blocks fall into columns on a grid. Your job is to bundle like data types together and store them safely before the data grid overflows. It is the very first iPhone app from NOAA (in partnership with NASA). Check it out on iTunes or in our Fun and Games section. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Core GS prime contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed the following Product Monitoring Detailed Design Reviews (DDRs) September 6-8, 2011: Ingest and Store (IAS), Monitor Instrument and Radiometric Performance (MIRP), Playback and Display (PAD), and Monitor ABI and GLM Performance (MAGP). |
| • | The GOES-R Program participated in an entrance conference (meeting) with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on September 1, 2011 in Silver Spring, MD - along with representatives from NASA, NESDIS, and NWS - to initiate GAO’s next review cycle of the GOES-R Program which is being conducted at the request of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. GAO's objectives in this review are to (1) assess NOAA’s progress in developing the GOES-R satellite program; (2) identify key risks facing the program and the agency’s efforts to mitigate those risks; and (3) evaluate NOAA’s efforts to address prior GAO recommendations. The purpose of the entrance conference was to provide a status of the GOES-R Program, address preliminary assessment questions from GAO, and identify next steps in the review cycle. |
| • | On September 1, 2011 the GOES-R System Program Director (SPD) and Program Senior Scientist presented an overview on the GOES-R Proving Ground to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, at her request to understand more about this key aspect of the GOES-R Program’s user readiness planning. The presentation was well received with excellent questions asked during a very engaged discussion. |
August |
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| • | The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) Sensor Unit electronics delta Critical Design Review (CDR) was successfully completed on August 17, 2011 in Palo Alto, CA. |
| • | On August 17, 2011 the Core Ground Segment Project (GSP) Antenna System contractor, Harris Corporation, successfully completed a System Integration Review (SIR) for Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS) antenna sites 5 and 8. Government approval to proceed with construction was granted. |
| • | The GOES-R Program successfully completed the technical portion of the Mission Preliminary Design Review (MPDR) on August 12, 2011. The Standing Review Board recommended that the Program proceed to the critical design phase pending completion of part II of the MPDR, which will assess programmatic components such as the program’s schedule. Part II will be held in the coming weeks. |
| • | The GOES-R Algorithm Development Executive Board (ADEB) met August 3-4, 2011 to review the 100% readiness of all the Option 2 products for delivery to the GOES-R Program. The Board co-chairs from National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) and National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Science and Technology (OS&T), and the Program Senior Scientist and Ground Segment Algorithm Manager provided background information and outcome expectations for the review. In addition the ADEB discussed the future of Option 2 products that would be better suited as fused capabilities (integrated satellite, ground-based, in-situ, model) by NWS and other users. The ADEB also discussed its role and charter for future reviews and agreed the ADEB should continue as an advisory body to the Program. |
| • | Leslie Albright and Bob Bonner of the House Appropriations Committee Majority Staff visited Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company’s (LMSSC) facility in Newtown, PA on Tuesday, August 2, 2011. The Staffers received a status update on Lockheed’s activities with the GOES-R Program including the GOES-R spacecraft, Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) and the Solar Ultra-Violet Imager (SUVI). A tour of the Newtown facility was also provided. |
| • | The GOES-R Mission Preliminary Design Review (PDR) technical is in progress in Greenbelt, MD. The purpose of this Mission PDR is to validate all preliminary technical system requirements across the GOES-R Program. |
July |
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| • | On July 27, 2011, the Environmental Satellite Processing and Distribution System (ESPDS) completed a combined Delta System Requirements Review (SRR) / System Definition Review (SDR) for Ancillary Data Relay Services (ADRS) and a delta Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for Product Distribution & Access (PDA). Initial results from the Independent Review Team (IRT) regarding the exit criteria had a total of 3 Yellow / Greens (one each from SRR, SDR, and PDR) and the remainder Green. |
| • | The GOES-R OCONUS (Outside the Continental United States) Proving Ground Workshop was held July 26-28 at the University of Alaska Southeast campus in Juneau. Participants included personnel from the Alaska and Pacific Region of the National Weather Service (NWS) and NWS Headquarters as well as the GOES-R Program Director, Chief Scientist and Ground Project Scientist, and about 30 proving ground partners. Recent accomplishments, status reports and plans for upcoming GOES-R Product demonstrations with forecasters were presented and discussed. At this meeting the Joint Polar Satellite System Program Scientist presented a mission update and initial JPSS Proving Ground initiatives, modeled after the successful GOES-R Proving Ground Program. Future OCONUS proving ground meetings will look forward to opportunities for continued cooperation between the GEO and Polar satellite programs. |
| • | The Southern Thunder 2011 Workshop was held July 11-14, 2011 at the National Weather Center in Norman, OK. Attendees representing the university research community, NWS, NOAA Research, and the NOAA GOES-R Program participated in breakout sessions to plan a national demonstration of a new application of the GLM to reduce severe weather warning false alarms at the same time increasing warning lead time, develop training and visualization tools for using total lightning data in NWS operations, identify blended and fused products with value added contributions from total lightning (lightning, radar, satellite, models for aviation hazards, wildfires, high impact weather), and challenges and advancements needed to assimilate GLM total lightning into forecast models. |
June |
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| • | GOES-R is now on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/GOESRsatellite. The Program office will be using Facebook as another tool to post the latest GOES-R news and information. If you are a Facebook user, we encourage you to "Like" the page and to post relevant content and comments. |
| • | The GOES-R Ground Segment Project Preliminary Design Review (PDR) took place June 27-29, 2011 in Linthicum, Maryland. The review provided a comprehensive look at the preliminary design for the entire GOES-R ground system. |
| • | The Environmental Satellite Processing & Distribution System (ESPDS) successfully completed the Product Distribution & Access (PDA) Preliminary Design Review (PDR) June 20-21, 2011. |
| • | Call for Papers Due June 15, 2011 for the 7th GOES User’s Conference / 36th NWA Annual Meeting. |
| • | The GOES-R Program Status Review (PSR) for May 2011 was conducted on June 2nd at Goddard Space Flight Center. |
May |
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| • | The GOES-R Program Senior Scientist was an invited guest presenter on the status of the GOES-R program and Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) at the 5th Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) Lightning Imager Science Team (LIST) meeting held by EUMETSAT at the Italian Air Force Headquarters May 26-27 in Rome, Italy. |
| • | Successfully completed the Solid State Internal Reference Unit (SSIRU) Critical Design Review (CDR) which was held on May 24-25 at Northrop Grumman. |
| • | Lockheed-Martin Space Systems Co. (LMSSC) has successfully conducted spacecraft to instrument interface simulator (SIIS) tests with EXIS, GLM, SUVI, and SEISS. |
| • | The GOES-R Program Support Manager, Mr. Chris Morris, completed a 3000 mile solo cross-country bicycle ride on April 25th to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Congratulations, Chris! |
| • | The Storm Prediction Center’s 2011 spring experiment began May 9, 2011 at the Hazardous Weather Testbed in Norman, OK and will last through June 10, 2011. Daily activities of the experiment can be followed at http://goesrhwt.blogspot.com/. |
| • | The Sixth GOES Users’ Conference Final Report has been released. View Final Report |
| • | GOES-R Ground Segment Project and Program/Mission Preliminary Design Reviews to be rescheduled: Since completing the Core Ground Segment Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in March, the GOES-R Ground Segment team has been working closely and aggressively with Harris Corp (the Ground Segment Core contractor) to develop a replan to address disconnects with the ground segment execution schedule. This revised approach is expected to better meet the program’s future needs. However, the cost of that replan is now higher than expected. GOES-R is working to develop an alternative implementation approach that can meet funding constraints while still meeting schedule needs. As a result, the Ground Segment Project PDR will be delayed until such time as the alternative approach is developed. In turn, this will result in a delay to the Program/Mission PDR which was scheduled for June 6-10. At this time, the GOES-R Program does not anticipate the PDR delays will impact the GOES-R Launch Readiness Date of October 2015. |
| • | A number of Spacecraft subsystem PDRs were conducted the week of May 2-6, 2011, including the Global Positioning System (GPS) Component, the Earth Pointing Platform (EPP) optical bench, and S-Band Transponder and Command and Data Acquisition Station (CDAS) Transceiver. |
| • | The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI), and Spacecraft team successfully completed the communication interface tests between the two instruments’ SpaceWire and the Spacecraft. This test was an early validation of the compatibility of the SpaceWire interface between the Spacecraft and the Instruments. |
| • | Good progress is being made with the completion of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) thermal vacuum testing of the Protoflight Model (PFM) N-S Encoder, telescope pre-thermal vacuum optical testing, and the radiator thermal vacuum testing. |
April |
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| • | The Ground Segment Project completed the dry run for the Project Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on April 28, 2011. |
| • | Program Systems Engineering (PSE) coordinated a major revision to the Level I Requirements Document (LIRD) through the Configuration Control Board (CCB) process. The revised LIRD was presented to the NOAA Observing System Council (NOSC) for their review and approval. |
| • | The GLM Electronics Unit delta Critical Design Review (CDR) was held this week at Lockheed-Martin in Palo Alto, CA. |
| • | GSP and the Harris team successfully completed the Software Requirements Review (SWRR) for the Level 2+ Aviation and Soundings Algorithms. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) successfully completed the Antenna System Preliminary Design Review (PDR) April 19-21, 2011 in Melbourne, Florida. The review board gave the PDR a "green/yellow" rating and stated that the material presented was "excellent, clearly at the PDR level" and noted that the Antenna System now appears to be fully integrated programmatically into the GSP. The review board identified three areas of concern and will provide a formal written report will be available within the next several weeks. |
| • | The GOES-R Quarterly Awards ceremony was held April 15, 2011. Click here to see a list of winners and a photo slideshow (link to quarterly awards). |
| • | The interim assessment report on Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) project management processes (with focus on Risk Management) was presented to Mary Kicza and NESDIS management staff. This interim report included the CMMI-level assessment of the GOES-R Program conducted in February & March. |
| • | On April 4-8, 2011, the 2011 NOAA Satellite Direct Readout Conference was held April 4-8 in Miami, FL. Several GOES-R staff attended, presented, and participated at the conference, including oral presentations, poster sessions, demonstrations, and breakout Q&A sessions. |
March |
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| • | On March 21, 2011, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) hosted an entrance exam with NOAA officials on a review of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Information Technology (IT) Dashboard and select Department of Commerce investments, including the GOES-R Ground Segment and NOAA’s Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS). GAO’s objectives are to (1) determine what efforts selected agencies have under way to improve Dashboard reporting and whether they are using data from the Dashboard to improve IT management; and (2) examine the accuracy of the cost and schedule performance ratings on the Dashboard for selected investments. |
| • | The Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS) successfully completed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on March 16, 2011. |
| • | The Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS) successfully completed the Level 0 (L0) and L1b Software Requirements Review (SWRR). |
| • | The Core Ground Segment (GS) Preliminary Design Review (PDR), held March 1-4, 2011, was given an overall "Green" rating by the Integrated Independent Review Team (IIRT) , except in two areas related to schedule execution, which were unrated. |
| • | Personnel from the GOES-R Program Office met with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA this week on Education and Public Outreach efforts. Upcoming materials include the revamped GOES-R website, iPhone game, posters, a GOES-R calendar, storybook, additional social media tools, and additional features on JPL's Space Place and SciJinks websites. Reaching additional audiences such as broadcast meteorologists through attendance and distribution of materials at select conferences was also discussed. The team also participated in a tour of the JPL facility. |
| • | The Program Senior Scientist visited the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) on March 9. A mini-program review was held with CIRA and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)/Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) scientists supporting the GOES-R Program. Proving Ground, Risk Reduction science, and training were discussed. We learned the Joint Polar Satellite Systems (JPSS) Program now also plans to hold a review in Fort Collins the week of June 13 following the 2-3 day GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG) Annual All Hands meeting. |
February |
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| • | A High Impact Weather Workshop co-sponsored by GOES-R and the NCEP Storm Prediction Center was held February 24-25, 2011 in conjunction with the Warn on Forecast Workshop at the National Weather Center in Norman, OK. |
| • | The ABI Flight Model Design Modification Critical Design Review (CDR) was held February 22-24, 2011 at ITT Corp. in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. |
| • | The Department of Commerce (DOC) Office of Program Evaluation and Risk Management (OPERM) began a Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)-style appraisal of the GOES-R Program in six process areas. GOES-R is worked on Practice Implementation Indicator Descriptions (PIIDs) for the DOC Program Management Capability Assessment of the GOES-R Program (being conducted by Futron). |
| • | The Magnetometer PDR was held on February 16, 2011. |
| • | The GOES-R System Program Director provided two Congressional briefings this week on the status of the GOES-R Program. The first was a briefing to new staffers from the House Appropriations Committee - Commerce, Justice, and Science (HAC-CJS) on Tuesday, February 8th and the other was on Wednesday, February 9th to new and returning Majority and Minority House Science, Space, and Technology Committee staff. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) and Antenna System contactor Harris Corporation successfully completed the Antenna System Integrated Baseline Review (IBR). Harris will hold IBRs for two of its Antenna subcontractors in March. |
January |
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| • | The GOES-R Program presented at the 7th Annual Symposium on Future Operational Environmental Satellite Systems at the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Conference in Seattle, WA, January 23-27, 2011. |
| • | The Ground Segment Project (GSP) successfully completed the Mission Management PDR in Melbourne, FL. This is the last GS Element review prior to the Core GS PDR. |
| • | GSP completed the Environmental Satellite Processing and Distribution System (ESPDS) Product Distribution and Access (PDA) System Requirements Review (SRR)/System Definition Review (SDR). |
| • | The Spacecraft System Preliminary Design Review (PDR) was successfully held January 18-20, 2011 at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. (LMSSC) in Newtown, PA. |
| • | A successful CLASS Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) was held at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF) in Suitland, MD on Jan 13, 2010. |