-------- Original Message --------
Topic: NOAA-18 Gyro Tests Update
Message Issued: July 23, 2010, 1250 UTC
Satellites Impacted: NOAA-18
Products Impacted: All data and products from NOAA-18 (AVHRR, AMSU-A, AMSU-B,
HIRS, MHS, SBUV)
Date/Time of Initial Impact: Initial Tests Begin No Earlier Than 8/10/10
--------------------------
Details:
Satellite engineers from NOAA's Office of Satellite Operations (OSO) have
informed the Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution (OSDPD) of a
series of tests on the NOAA-18 gyro sub-system. These tests are a result of
ongoing analysis of the current operational and backup NOAA-18 gyro sub-systems
and concerns about the imminent failure of these systems resulting in unusable
products within six months. While NOAA-18 is considered a backup POES
spacecraft, we understand that many users rely on NOAA-18 for operational data
and product processing, including input into global Numerical Weather
Prediction models.
The NOAA-18 gyro tests will result in possible significant navigation errors
during the tests of up to 100 km for many instruments. To that end, OSDPD will
process the NOAA-18 level 1b data on a backup system but cease the flow of
NOAA-18 data to all operational products and halt the distribution of NOAA-18
data to the NOAA CLASS archive.
Users obtaining data directly from NOAA-18 through APT or HRPT are advised of
the possible severe degradation of the NOAA-18 data during these tests.
Details of the tests are as follows:
- Initial NOAA-18 gyro test to take place beginning on 8/10/10, running for 24
hours
- (In case of Critical Weather Day or else, the backup day for the initial
test will be 8/17/10)
- Second NOAA-18 gyro test to take place beginning on 8/12/10, running for 24
hours
- (Backup day 8/24/10)
- A third NOAA-18 gyro test to take place approximately two or three months
following second test.
Products that use NOAA-18 that will be affected:
- ATOVS Polar Soundings
- Radiation Budget
- Fire Identification Mapping and Monitoring Algorithm (FIMMA) for Hazard
Mapping system (HMS) input
- CLAVR-X
- SST and Coastwatch
-Microwave Surface and Precipitation Products (MSPPS)
- Microwave Integrated Retrieval System (MIRS)
- Blended TPW
- Ozone: SBUV/2
- Ozone: TOAST
- Ensemble Tropical Rainfall Potential (eTRaP)
- Global Vegetation Index Products (GVI)
- AVHRR Winds
---------------------------
Contact Information:
Brian Hughes
Satellite Services Division
NOAA/NESDIS/OSDPD
301-763-8051 x106
Brian.Hughes@xxxxxxxx
Seehttp://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/messages.html for this and other
satellite related messages.
Seehttp://www.ssd.noaa.gov for full GOES scanning schedules.