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National Weather Service Modernization Committee
ROBERT J. SERAFIN (chair),
NAE, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
RICHARD A. ANTHES,
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
DAVID ATLAS,
NAE, Atlas Concepts, Bethesda, Maryland
WILLIAM BONNER,
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
ROBERT BRAMMER,
TASC, Reading, Massachusetts
KENNETH C. CRAWFORD,
Oklahoma Climatological Survey, Norman
DARA ENTEKHABI,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
GEORGE J. GLEGHORN,
NAE, TRW Space and Technology Group (retired), Rancho Palos Verdes, California
WILLIAM E. GORDON,
NAE, NAS, Rice University (retired), Houston, Texas
ALBERT J. KAEHN, Jr.,
U.S. Air Force (retired), Burke, Virginia
JENANNE L. MURPHY,
Hughes Information Technology Corporation, Vienna, Virginia
VERONICA F. NIEVA,
WESTAT, Inc., Rockville, Maryland
DOROTHY C. PERKINS,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, Maryland
Satellite Continuity Panel
GEORGE J. GLEGHORN, NAE, chair
WILLIAM E. GORDON,
NAE, NAS
ROBERT J. SERAFIN,
NAE
DAVID S. JOHNSON, advisor
Staff
FLOYD F. HAUTH, study director
MERCEDES ILAGAN, study associate
WANDA PRIESTLY, project assistant
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is interim president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chairman and interim vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.
Preface
The mission of the National Weather Service (NWS) includes providing up-to-date forecasts of the weather for the United States and the adjacent oceans and providing reports of severe or dangerous weather conditions, both in advance and as they occur. In carrying out these functions, the NWS makes use of data obtained from several satellites operated in various orbits about the Earth by the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).
The National Research Council's (NRC) National Weather Service Modernization Committee (NWSMC) has been reviewing the NWS modernization since February 1990 under contracts between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the NRC. In January 1995, as part of the extension of the contract, NOAA requested the NWSMC “to assess the adequacy of planned NOAA geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite coverage in terms of system continuity and backup.” The NWSMC formed the Satellite Continuity Panel in February 1995 to determine the scope of the issues involved and to develop a study plan. In September 1995, the Executive Committee of the Governing Board of the NRC authorized the NWSMC to conduct a study that accomplished the following tasks:
- Evaluate the records [of past satellite lifetimes] and replenishment plans of current NOAA and Department of Defense meteorological satellite programs.1
- Examine each meteorological satellite program with respect to requirements for continuity of coverage.
- Determine best estimates of continuity for current meteorological satellite programs, considering strategies for satellite replacement.
- Assess need and timing for satellite programs not presently under contract to provide future replenishment of geostationary and polar-orbiting weather satellites.
Further, the Satellite Continuity Panel of the NWSMC was asked to gather data and to present reports to the full committee for its analysis and for completion of the final report. The panel includes three NWSMC members and a former committee study director serving as an advisor.
The committee appreciates the cooperation and assistance provided by the staff of NOAA; the NWS; several weather forecast offices; the NESDIS; the Storm Prediction Center, Aviation Weather Center, and Environmental Modeling Center of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
I also want to thank the chairman of the Satellite Panel, George J. Gleghorn; member, William E. Gordon; and advisor, David S. Johnson, who worked so diligently with me to obtain and analyze data for this study and to compile drafts for the committee.
On behalf of the committee, I express our appreciation to Mr. Floyd Hauth, study director, and Ms. Mercedes Ilagan, study associate, for their excellent organizational and logistical support and to consultant Robert Katt for his assistance with several reviews of the report.
ROBERT J. SERAFIN, CHAIR
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
MODERNIZATION COMMITTEE
List of Tables, Figures, and Boxes
Tables
2-1 |
TIROS Satellites |
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2-2 |
ESSA Satellites—The First Operational Weather Satellite System |
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2-3 |
ITOS Satellites |
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2-4 |
TIROS-N Series of Operational Satellites |
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2-5 |
SMS and GOES Series Satellites Launched through 1995 |
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4-1 |
SMS/GOES Operational Experience |
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4-2 |
POES Operational Experience |
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4-3 |
GOES Schedule |
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4-4 |
Polar Satellite Planning Launch Schedule |
Figures
2-1 |
Geographic coverage of the two-GOES system |
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4-1 |
Availability of GOES service in a two-satellite constellation |
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4-2 |
Availability of POES service by at least one satellite in a two-satellite (AM and PM) constellation |
Boxes