2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP)
mission, an atmospheric dynamics mission to study
hurricane processes, which will include both the
DC-8 and Global Hawk. The “Pre-GRIP” mission
will flight-demonstrate new sensor technologies
and GRIP flight profiles. All the GH activities are
in partnership with the NOAA Unmanned Aircraft
System (UAS) Program Office. Operation Ice Bridge
will start its second of six seasons, concentrating on
Greenland with the DC-8 and P-3B. The G-III is
projected to have a very full second operational year
with many more years planned.
The first ESSP Earth Venture Initiative (EV-1)
projects will be awarded and start up to five years of
systemic measurements. Decadal Survey missions
are also expected to increase substantially in the
upcoming years. The year 2010 will also be the first
year in the development of PRISM a JPL ocean
color hyperspectral imager as well as be the close-out
year for IPY activities. The 2nd Student Airborne
Research Program mission will be accomplished,
building on the 2009’s success and lessons learned.
Activities will continue to develop a permanent
ISPRS committee on Airborne Sciences in addition
to our collaborations with EUFAR and CEODE.
Airborne Science will continue to contribute to the
efforts of ICCAGRA, UAS in the NAS and our UAS
science partnerships with NOAA and DOE.
Programmatically, a permanent program director will
be announced. The program will continue its efforts
to continually improve its processes and products.
We will prepare for the future by furthering
payload portability and standardization efforts
and understanding of the needs of our science
community. Airborne Science remains committed
and prepared to meet the challenges of the future
and ready to contribute its part in NASA’s mission to
understand the Earth system.
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