The Role of Small Satellites in NASA and NOAA Earth Observation Programs (2000) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix D: Case Studies
Appendix D: Case Studies
Pages 82-89
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From page 82... ...
The mission objective for the TOMS-EP satellite was to fill a gap and ensure continuity of data between similar instruments on the Russian METEOR satellite and Japanese ADEOS (Advanced Earth Observing Satellite)
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From page 83... ...
Selected Approach The key technical issues in design approach involved structure, solar array orientation/articulation, battery size, distributed versus centralized architecture for the data system, and the design complexity of the spacecraft sating mode. The finished product resulted in an aluminum structure with fixed arrays, a centralized data system, and a sating system that relied heavily on ground operations for recovery.
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From page 84... ...
One of the JGOFS objectives was the global study of ocean primary productivity and its variability, and satellite ocean color measurements were deemed to be an essential element of the program. This increased scientific support for a satellite ocean color mission culminated in an agreement whereby NASA agreed to purchase from OSC high-quality global ocean color data to be acquired by the SeaWiFS instrument.
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From page 85... ...
Fully commercial approaches proved to be unworkable because an attractive business case could not be developed. The viability of a commercial offering depends upon data sales producing a revenue stream that permits recovery of the capital investment and provides a reasonable return for the investors, and such a case could not be constructed because the future revenue stream from the sale of ocean color data was unproven and speculative.
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From page 86... ...
Ocean color data are highly perishable, and their commercial utility declines rapidly with time because of the highly changeable nature of the ocean. On the other hand, most of the scientific research entailed is conducted by analyzing the data retrospectively, so it was easy to develop a scheme whereby commercial users would receive encrypted data in real time (for a fee)
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From page 87... ...
In July 1994, NASA awarded contracts to both TRW and CTA Space Systems to design and launch small Earth observing satellites named Lewis and Clark, respectively. Both contracts called for substantial new technology infusion into both payload and spacecraft bus, and for delivery of the satellites to launch within 24 months of contract start.
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From page 88... ...
In the end, however, NASA has the responsibility to assure that the project objectives are met, and our assurance process was ineffective in this case. NASA's Office of the Chief Engineer is developing general lessons learned from this project and other faster, better, cheaper efforts, and we intend to apply them vigorously to all of our future missions, including the second generation of spacecraft in the Earth Observing System." Clark NASA issued a press release on February 25, 1998, announcing the termination of the Clark Earth science mission.
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From page 89... ...
Lewis Spacecraft Mission Failure Investigation Board.
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