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Suomi NPP Direct Readout Mission Objectives

The DRL serves the global Direct Readout community here on behalf of the Suomi NPP mission objectives. As the "Portal" for Suomi NPP Direct Readout mission information, technologies and algorithms, the DRL enables the global Direct Readout community to view Suomi NPP Earth monitoring data for real-time applications.

The DRL receives the Suomi NPP High Rate Data (HRD) transmission (activation date February 23, 2012) and generates NPP VIIRS prototype products for each pass observed.  The products are then published to the Recent Data Products gallery on the DRL Web Portal. The algorithms used to generate these products were provided by the mission and ported by the DRL and other mission development teams. The DRL implemented these algorithms for use in a Direct Readout environment. These Suomi NPP algorithms, in Science Processing Algorithm (SPA) form, will be available for free download via the DRL Web Portal. Being consistent with the existing EOS SPA paradigm, users will have access to these official algorithms. In addition, a data processing framework will be available for free download via the DRL Web Portal.

Initial SPA efforts focused on the algorithms for the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). VIIRS is one of five instruments aboard the Suomi NPP spacecraft. In addition to VIIRS, the DRL will implement Direct Readout algorithms for the Crosstrack Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS).

The DRL completed Phase 1 of its NPP algorithm implementation by porting available Suomi NPP processing algorithms for use in a Direct Readout environment. With Phase 2, the DRL addressed science implementation issues and support of the mission-specified data format. Now in Phase 3 the DRL is addressing a maintenance model, with the focus on creating an efficient approach for versioning the baseline algorithms within a Direct Readout environment. Phase 3 implementation progress is captured in the diagram "Phase 3 Direct Readout Implementation of the VIIRS IDPS Chained-processing Approach." The diagram is available as either a PDF or a PowerPoint file.

Previous versions of this diagram are available in either PDF or PowerPoint files:

• Phase 1 (PDF or PowerPoint)
• Phase 2 (PDF or PowerPoint)

The "VIIRS IDPS Chained-processing Approach" diagram is available as either a PDF or PowerPoint file.

Suomi NPP Raw High Rate Data Testing with DRL Technologies

Sample tested raw High Rate Data (HRD), test reports, and statistical analysis were provided to the DRL by the NASA NPP System Integration and Test (SI&T) Team as part of the NPP Compatibility Test (NCT) 3, Part I. The DRL applied this material against its own software development requirements to ensure that NISGS technologies will enable the HRD community to create NPP data products.

The DRL processed the sample data with its Real-time Software Telemetry Processing System (RT-STPS) (Version 5.0, the NPP release). The RT-STPS Viewer was used to verify that resulting packet counts matched expected packet count values provided to the DRL for comparison. Packet-filtered VIIRS data were sent from RT-STPS to Simulcast to render a corresponding image. ATMS, CrIS, and VIIRS Raw Data Records (RDRs) were generated with RT-STPS and analyzed with the HDF Viewer to verify that file content conforms to specifications contained in the following documents:

Information to identify, distinguish and extract all of the X-band unique source packets from the satellite's mission data streams is contained in the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) Mission Data Format Control Book (MDFCB).

It is assumed that the sample data conform to structural specifications contained in the JPSS Common Data Format Control Book – External Volume VII – Part I – JPSS Downlink Data Formats.

Click here for a sample raw data file and expected packet counts for testing with your own processing configuration.

Suomi NPP Mission Objectives

• Provide NASA with continuation of global change observations after Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua.

 

Atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity sounding, land and ocean biological productivity, and cloud and aerosol properties.

• Provide National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) with risk reduction demonstration and validation for three of the five critical NPOESS sensors, algorithms, and processing.
  
  VIIRS, CrIS, ATMS and OMPS

• An element in the NPP mission is the In-Situ Group. This group, as part of the DRL, has designed and built a prototype NPP In-Situ Ground System (NISGS). This system is the testbed for technologies necessary to acquire and process all instrument data through radiometric calibration and georegistration for use by a stand-alone Direct Readout ground system.

Click here for more information on the NPP mission.

Suomi NPP Mission Documentation

• Interface Requirements Document (IRD) for National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) Mission System to Direct Broadcast Users Interface. GSFC 429-01-02-19. December 2001. (PDF)
• JPSS Common Data Format Control Book - External Volume II – RDR Formats. Rev B.
• JPSS Common Data Format Control Book - External Volume V – Metadata. 474-00001-05 Revision -.
• JPSS Common Data Format Control Book – External Volume VII – Part I – JPSS Downlink Data Formats. 474-00001-07-01 Revision -.
• National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) Spacecraft High Rate Data (HRD) Radio Frequency (RF) Interface Control Document (ICD) to the Direct Broadcast Stations. GSFC 429-03-02-24 (Original CH-02). May 2004. (PDF)
• National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) Mission Data Format Control Book (MDFCB). GSFC 429-05-02-42. Revision A — CH-02. Effective Date: May 12, 2009. Expiration Date: May 12, 2014. (PDF)