SARP
June 13 2016
Randy Albertson
Airborne Science Program
Deputy Director
Airborne Science Program
Mission
The NASA Airborne Science Program exists to enable
scientists to achieve NASA Earth science objectives
and answer science questions that require the use of
airborne platforms and infrastructure. The Airborne
Science Program does this by providing the Earth
Science community access to a pre-eminent suite of
airborne capabilities.
Science and platform agnostic
Right tool for the job
2
Program Objectives
Satellite Calibration and Validation
Provide platforms to enable essential calibration
measurements for the Earth observing satellites, and the
validation of data retrieval algorithms.
Support New Sensor Development
Provide sub-orbital flight opportunities to test and refine new
instrument technologies/algorithms, and reduce risk prior to
committing sensors for launch into space.
Process Studies
Obtain high-resolution temporal and spatial measurements
of complex local processes, which can be coupled to global
satellite observations for a better understanding of the
complete Earth system.
Develop the Next-Generation of Scientists and
Engineers
Foster the development of our future workforce with the
hands-on involvement of graduate students, and young
scientists/engineers in all aspects of ongoing Earth science
investigations.
What does Airborne Science do?
Facilitate access to airborne assets capable of
supporting NASAs scientific measurements
Core, Catalog, Cooperative and New technology
Help get through acquisition, process and regulatory wickets.
Provide capabilities to enhance/enable
scientific measurements
Mission/Project Management and Logistics
Science support systems
Airborne networks
Approvals for Laser and Radiation, dropsonde release, pressure
vessel safety, HAZMAT safety, EMI, foreign clearances, etc
Optimize the use of resources
Science Requirement
Measurements
Platforms
2010-2015 Airborne Campaigns
Svalbard, Norway
Thule, Greenland
Barrow, AK
Fairbanks, AK
Yellowknife
Iceland
Anchorage, AK
Saskatoon
Goose Bay
Surprise
Valley, NV
Japan
Honolulu, HI
Wallops, VA
Edwards, CA
Warner Robins, GA
Palmdale, CA
u FL
Houston, TX Key West,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Kona, HI
Sal Island, Cape Verde
Thailand
Guam
San Jose, Costa Rica
Singapore
Ecuador
Papeete, French Polynesia
Darwin, Australia
Argentina
Chile
Calendar Year
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Punta Arenas, Chile
Antarctica
NASA Airborne Science Capable Aircraft
80000
21km
(1) Global Hawk
70000
60000
(2) ER-2
(3) WB-57
Altitude (feet)
15km
(2) C-20/G-III
Lear 25
50000
DC-8
Ikhana
40000
Falcon
S-3B
30000
(4) B-200/UC12
Twin Otter
9km
P-3B
(2) C-130
20000
Sherpa
3km
Rigel
10000 UH-1 Huey
SIERRA
Dragon Eye
0
Red indicates full Core funding
10
15
Endurance (hours)
20
25
30
NASA Airborne Science Aircraft
80000
(2) ER-2
70000
(3) WB-57
(1) Global Hawk
Altitude (feet)
60000
50000
11,000
(1) Lear 25
(2) G-III
(1) Falcon
40000
11
(1) DC-8
(1) Ikhana
30000
(3) B-200/UC12
20000 (1) Twin Otter
10000
(1) S-3B
(2) C-130 (1) P-3B
(1) Sherpa
(1) SIERRA
0
0
1000
2000
3000
Range (nm)
8
4000
5000
>6000
Aircraft Access to Hurricane Forming Regions
GRIP: (Hurricane)
Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes Field Experiment
The Global Hawk adds
considerable surveillance capability
Greater range and duration than
DC-8 or ER-2
Allows for extended on-station time
in hurricane genesis regions
Geosynchronous simulator
Blue line: DC-8 range for 12-h flight, 6 h on
station
Red lines: GH range for 30-h flight with 15 and
22.5 h on station
Light blue X: Genesis locations for 1940-2006
Other Factors for Science Platforms
Speed
Payload volume and capacity
Power
Perspectives
Communications/network
Operations cost/constraints
Basing/airspace
Payload Perspectives
NASA Manned Airborne Science Aircraft
(with nadir ports & room to work for 4 + people)
80000
70000
Altitude (feet)
60000
50000
(1) DC-8
40000
(1) Falcon
30000
(1) P-3B
20000 (1) Twin Otter
10000
0
0
(1) Sherpa
1000
2000
3000
Range (nm)
12
4000
5000
>6000
ICCAGRA Science Research Aircraft
(excluding NASA)
NOAA
80000
NRL
DOE
CIRPAS
NCAR/NSF
70000
60000
Altitude (feet)
G-V
G-IV
50000
B350
40000
30000
Twin Otter
B-200
P-3
20000
10000
G-I
C206
C-130
Aero Commander
1000
2000
3000
Range (nm)
4000
5000
>6000
ASP Cross Cutting Infrastructure
NASA Airborne Science Data and Telemetry System (NASDAT) airborne network server and low bandwidth Iridium gateway which captures
navigational data as well as allows scientists to talk to their instruments
Experimenter Interface Panel
science instrument to aircraft interface
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Airborne Networks & Mission Tools
A coordinated pass over the eye
of hurricane Karl with the NASA
Global Hawk and DC8, with a
narrow miss by the TRMM
satellite.
Screen capture of Real Time Mission
Monitor showing the NOAA 49 &
NASA Global Hawk, DC8, & WB57
making a coordinated pass over
Hurricane Karl eye. A NOAA P3
(NOAA 42) & USAF C130 were also
sampling the storm at this time.
Operation IceBridge
Snow Radar QC plot
Photo: M. Studinger
Figure: John Paden/CReSIS
MCoRDS radar quick look image
iceberg
ice surface
ice/water interface
Figure: John Paden/CReSIS
Coordinated Airborne Experiments to Measure CO2 column
densities in support of ASCENDS Mission Definition
LaRC/ITT Acclaim lidar
instrument in NASA UC-12
LaRC & ITT instr. team, LaRC aircraft
Ed Browell/LaRC, Team Leader
Instrument development via ITT, Earth
Science AITT funding
GSFC Airborne CO2 lidar
instrument in NASA Lear-25
GSFC team, NASA Glenn aircraft
Jim Abshire/GSFC, Team Leader
Instrument development via ESTO
ACT & IIP programs, GSFC IRAD
JPL Airborne CO2 lidar
instrument in Twin Otter
JPL team, Twin Otter aircraft
Gary Spiers/JPL, Team Leader
Instrument development via Coherent
Techn., ESTO ACT program, JPL IRAD
Objective: Measure & compare CO2 column densities over calibration sites with developmental lidar
candidates for the ASCENDS mission
Approach: Simultaneous CO2 measurement flights at different altitudes over well calibrated areas:
DOE SGP ARM site (Lamont, OK):
7/28 - 8/4/09
North Carolina & Eastern Shore VA
8/17/09
Collaborate with DOE/LBL & Caltech researchers for in-situ & ground-based FTS measurements
Sensor Integration
6/13/16
Major Aircraft Modifications for Science
6/13/16
Tagg
19
DC-8 Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry Upload
http://www.nserc.und.edu/outreach/mission-videos/dc3-instrument-upload-timelapse
Disaster Response
Mosaic of MASTER flight lines
over Wallow fire June 16, 2011
Coherence image of Haitis Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault
purple indicates low coherence, which may be due to
mudslide, water runoff, or vegetation change
ER-2 flight tracks during Gulf
Oil Spill Response
Unique NASA-only Heavy Lift High Altitude Fleet (50k+ feet)
ER-2 (2)
Global Hawk
Range/Endurance Rings
Global Hawk (1)
Reconfigurable Large Flying Laboratories
-Internal Comm and Data
Networks
-Onboard satcom sensor web
networks
-Dropsonde Ejectors
-Specialized Racks for quick
payload reconfiguration
-Nadir and Zenith ports with
sensor attachment provision
-Wing hard points for sensor
mounting
-Specialized ports for probe
mounts with CFD Analysis
-Common Aircraft State data to
Sensor broadcast
UAV Synthetic Aperture Radar Aircraft
Forest inundation change is visible in HH (due to double bounce
effect) but not HV polarization channel.
Other Programs that make use of Airborne
Organizations outside of Earth Science
Planetary Science: Astromaterials & Astrobiology,
(Cosmic Dust collections, SETI (Leonids/Aurids imagery &
MSL Descent Radar tests)
Heliophysics Science: Radiation Measurements
Space Operations: (WAVE imagery of Shuttle missions,
Columbia debris field imagery, telemetry and ESA-ATV
imagery)
Aeronautics: (Alternative aviation fuel emissions study &
fiber optic wing shaping sensors)
Other government agencies: DoD, NOAA, DOE, DHS
Flight Requests
Completed:
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
36 FRs for 1307 hours
34 FRs for 996 hours
44 FRs for 1667 hours
70 FRs for 1877 hours
90 FRs for 2694 hours
77 FRs for 2605 hours
80 FRs for 3888 hours
78 FRs for 4392 hours
74 FRs for 4069 hours
96 FRs for 4301 hours
32 FRs for 2338 hours
(as of 6/12/16)
Note: flight hours include check-out, transit and data
How Can Airborne Data Help Inform
Policymakers Benefit Society
How policy has
protected our planet?
Using Airborne Science facilities, along with satellites, scientists collect the data that lead to
the determination
that CFCs are the main contributor to ozone hole formation
6/13/16
27
Image courtesy of Paul Newman, NASA/GSFC
Summary
ASP Objectives
Satellite Cal/Val
New Sensor and Algorithm development
Process Studies
Next Generation of Scientist and Engineers
Science Aircraft
Modified and capable
ASP Provides the infrastructure and personnel to
conduct these investigations in accordance with NASA,
national and international policies and regulations
Support National Science Objectives to provide the
policymakers with the information to benefit society
How to Access
Solicited and Unsolicited Proposals
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES)
Technology infusion
Satellite support
Science Operations Flight Request System (SOFRS):
https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/sofrs/
Details of what, where, when, how much, payload,
sponsor/funding source, etc.
Means to acquire cost estimates, mission planning
Report progress and access status
Process:
Investigators fill out flight requests for each research activity
ASP analyzes for implementation (cost, schedule resources)
HQs program scientists analyze for science merit and alignment
Many times to minimize our flight costs for data collection we are able to
incorporate multiple flight requests into one mission.
How do get access to ASP
Solicited and unsolicited proposals
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES)
Satellite, new technology
Science Operations Flight Requests
https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/sofrs/
Specific requirements (what, where, when, etc)
Cost estimates, approvals, tracking
Work with aviation service provider regarding mission planning,
integration, deployment logistics, scheduling, etc.
Process:
Investigators fill out flight requests for each research activity.
ASP analyzes for implementation (cost, schedule resources)
HQs Program Scientists analyze for science merit and alignment
Many times to minimize flight costs for data collection ASP is able to
incorporate multiple flight requests into one mission.
Proposals
Relates to NASA need
Need to respond to NASA science plan
How is the global earth system changing?
What are the sources of change in the Earth system and their magnitudes and trends?
How will the Earth system change in the future?
How can Earth system science improve mitigation of and adaptation to global change?
http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2010/03/31/Science_Plan_07.pdf
Scientific merit
Adequately addresses measurement approach
Implementability
Can be done within available resources/schedule
Doesnt require Unobtainium
NRA/Cooperative Agreement Notice Proposers Guidebook
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/nraguidebook/proposer2015.pdf
