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The Role of Small Satellites in NASA and NOAA Earth Observation Programs (2000) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Pages 1-6

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From page 1...
... The committee approached the study by setting out to understand the observational needs for key NASA and NOAA Earth remote sensing programs, and to determine and assess the availability and capability of sensors, satellite buses, and launch vehicles suitable for small satellite missions. The committee examined opportunities presented by small satellite options with respect to mission architecture and assessed their implications for future NASA and NOAA missions.
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From page 2...
... In this trade-off, the cost of initially placing the sensors into orbit may be higher with multiple small satellites because it involves building and launching more satellites. The lowest cost architecture to maintain a functioning complement of sensors over a prescribed mission lifetime depends on the system availability requirements (i.e., the percentage of time the system must be able to deliver the specified data)
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From page 3...
... For example, the data processing infrastructure of the user community often involves numerical models that may be expressly designed to assimilate satellite measurements collected at specific times with specific observing characteristics. CAPABILITY OF SMALL SATELLITES TO PERFORM EARTH OBSERVATION MISSIONS A review of development trends points to continued efforts to increase capability, reduce size, and lower costs of small satellite buses.
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From page 4...
... Multisensor platforms frequently offer the simplest ground segment solutions, including mission operations, downlink and data system architectures, and calibration and validation of sensors. 3Commercial spacecraft buses are those for which there exists an operating production line serving a commercial market, as is the case for some communication satellites (e.g., Iridium)
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From page 5...
... When sensor reliability is high and failure infrequent, the lower cost of deploying the payload on fewer, larger platforms outweighs the added costs of occasionally launching unnecessary sensors and provides a life cycle cost advantage to large satellite architectures. But low sensor reliability, with concomitant frequent replenishment, leads to excessive unnecessary sensor replacement with large platforms, thus favoring small satellite architectures.
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From page 6...
... MISSION PLANNING User tolerance of risk is a key consideration when planning research or operational Earth observation programs. Some Earth science missions require access to long-term, consistent data sets from a variety of sensors.
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Key Terms

  • earth observation
  • earth science
  • satellite missions
  • research missions
  • satellite buses

  • cycle cost
  • sensor reliability
  • measurement requirements
  • satellite architectures
  • observation programs

  • mission architecture
  • science community
  • low costs
  • data products
  • science enterprise

  • satellite approach
  • observation missions
  • noaa earth
  • multisensor platforms
  • performance capabilities

  • design life
  • mission architectures
  • earth observing
  • availability requirements
  • technology developed

  • weather satellite
  • noaa missions
  • management approaches
  • mission elements
  • failed sensors


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