2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

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Atmospheric Chemistry instruments were added to the DC-8 payload as piggyback flyers to try to gain some experience over the rarely measured Antarctic atmosphere. These insitu measurement instruments included AVOCET measuring CO 2 , Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH), Differential Absorption CO Measurement (DACOM), measuring the trace gases CO, CH 4 , N 2 O, CO 2 , and H2O(v) and the University of California, Irvine Whole Air Sampler (WAS). Figure 27: University of Alaska, Fairbanks, contracted single engine Otter on Alaskan glacier, May 2009 (Photo: Chris Larsen, UAF) In Austral Spring (November – December), Don Blankenship, Principle Investigator for the University of Texas, was contracted to provide science data for Antarctic glaciers that the DC-8 cannot reach from Punta Arenas with the Ken Borak, Basler BT-67 aircraft. [This was done in conjunction with an NSF/ NERC science mission.] The focus work for the BT-67 is the Cook and Totten glaciers surface elevation and observation of East Antarctica. The instrumentation suite on board the BT-67 includes an Ice Penetrating Radar, Magnetometer, Laser Altimeter, and a Gravity Meter. Basic data from the instrumentation suite consists of profiles of (a) ice thickness, (b) ice-surface elevation, (c) free-air gravity and (d) magnetic field intensity. This work was done in conjunction with an NSF/NSERC science mission. More information can be found on the OIB web site at: http://www.espo.nasa.gov/oib/ Antarctica 2009 Mission Blog sites http://www.nserc.und.edu/blogs/ http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/icebridge Figure 28: A greeting from team members at Palmer Station, Antarctic Peninsula, during overpass flight of the NASA DC-8. Photo taken by the Digital Mapping System (John Arvesen, Principle Investigator, Cirrus Systems). 30
Western States Fire Science Focus: HQ Sponsor: PI: Applied Science: Disaster Management Ambrose, Dorne Ambrosia The Western States UAS Fire Imaging effort project, received ARRA funding to continue support of wildfire imaging efforts through 2011. The efforts focus on the use of the NASA Ikhana UAS and the NASA DFRC B200 King Air (currently under airframe modifications). The Ikhana is currently allowed to fly fire missions within 50 nm of Special Use Airspace (SUA). This limitation has steered the WRAP team to look to additional manned platforms (NASA DFRC B200 King Air) for less restrictive flight operation capabilities. The NASA DFRC B200 King Air is being modified to allow various sensor packages and satellite data telemetry to be outfitted on the platform, and is planned for platform / sensor check-flights in Summer 2010, prior to the major western US fire season. The WRAP team anticipates use of that platform to support wildfire imaging efforts. Due to a minimal fire season in fall 2008 (early FY2009), the AMS-Wildfire sensor and the Ikhana did not support any fire data collection missions. During the second and third FY quarter of FY2009, the Autonomous Modular Scanner (AMS)-Wildfire sensor spectral characteristics were modified to prepare it for use in supporting atmospheric science on the NASA Global Hawk UAS, as part of the GloPac mission series. Due to weight and balance issues with the Global Hawk platform, the AMS-Wildfire was removed from the GloPac payload. The sensor was de-integrated and made available to support wildfire observation missions on the Ikhana in late summer 2009. After sensor spectral channel modifications in September 2009 (to change the mid-IR channels to their fire imaging characteristics used previously), the AMS-Wildfire was further modified by expanding the sensor from 12-channels to 16-channels, allowing for both high- and low-gain sensor spectral sensitivities in the mid-infrared (Mid-IR) and thermal-infrared (TIR) wavelength channels (channels 9-12). This allowed for improved discrimination of wildfire properties. After the sensor modifications were completed, the AMS was installed in the Ikhana and a test flight was flown to ensure system operations prior to supporting national / state fire emergencies. A four-hour test flight was flown September 11, 2009 within the confines of the Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) Restricted Area, and system shakeout occurred. Following the test mission, various issues involving the aircraft / satcom data telemetry system were discovered (nationwide fleet issues) and the aircraft / sensor issues were worked on extensively. The western US fire season was considered “light” by previous fire year averages and nationwide, the season was closed by mid-October 2009. No fire support missions were therefore flown in late FY 2009. The southern California fire season remained an area of concern, due to the frequent occurrence of Santa Ana wind conditions, spawning large fire complexes. Due to these potential fire issues, both the NASA-ARC and NASA-DFRC Ikhana mission team remained at-the-ready to support any necessary wildfire emergency request flights in October / November 2009 (early FY2010). For more information, visit: http://geo.arc.nasa. gov/sge/WRAP/ 31
Page 3: NASA Science Mission Directorate Ea
Page 6 and 7: Collaborations and Partnerships FAA
Page 9 and 10: FROM THE DIRECTOR Welcome to NASA
Page 11 and 12: PROGRAM ELEMENTS and EXECUTION The
Page 13: Langley and Glenn Research Centers
Page 17 and 18: AVIRIS Science Focus: HQ Sponsor: P
Page 19 and 20: CASIE Science Focus: HQ Sponsors: P
Page 21 and 22: Decadal Survey Support Missions Sin
Page 23 and 24: epeat pass data were collected over
Page 25 and 26: SWOT Science Focus: HQ Sponsor: PI:
Page 27 and 28: Figure 13: Installation of the thre
Page 29 and 30: Figure 16: March 3, NASA P-3 Flight
Page 31 and 32: Interferometric SAR Ice Mapping in
Page 33 and 34: Figure 22: Backscatter imagery for
Page 35: southern hemisphere over Antarctica
Page 39 and 40: AAFEx HQ sponsor: Aeronautics Resea
Page 41 and 42: RACORO Sponsor: PI: Ambrose, Dorne
Page 43 and 44: Instrument Test Flights In FY 2009,
Page 45 and 46: TWiLiTE In September, 2009 Bruce Ge
Page 47 and 48: CO2 Laser Sounder During October 20
Page 49: AESMIR The AESMIR 2009 test flights
Page 53 and 54: Science and Requirements The Scienc
Page 55 and 56: Figure 43: Aircraft Utilization FY
Page 57: JASSIWG effort (http://airbornescie
Page 61 and 62: Aircraft Platforms Introduction The
Page 63 and 64: Figure 44: Ktech TM data receiving
Page 65 and 66: NASA’s ER-2 NASA operates two ER-
Page 67 and 68: FY09 was a busy year for NASA’s W
Page 69 and 70: NASA’s G-III NASA DFRC operates t
Page 71 and 72: payload, and enough fuel for a 4-5
Page 73 and 74: The Twin-Otter continued its airbor
Page 75: The Ikhana is a civil variant of th
Page 79 and 80: Global Hawk NASA Dryden and Northro
Page 81 and 82: SlERRA The Sensor Integrated Enviro
Page 83 and 84: Common Data and Communications Syst
Page 85: Power Distribution Unit (MPCS/PDU)
Page 89 and 90:
Airborne Sensor Facility Formerly k
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vapor mapping, and was flight-teste
Page 93 and 94:
Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility
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COLLABORATIONS and PARTNERSHIPS
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on the UAS community and that it is
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among research programs with simila
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Media, Education and Outreach NSERC
Page 109 and 110:
ISRSE NASA’s Airborne Science Pro
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for coverage of the Costa Rican por
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Recognition and Awards Spring 2009
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Genesis and Rapid Intensification P
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APPENDIX A In Memoriam Frank Caldei
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APPENDIX B Airborne Program History
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Figure 72: 1981 photo of Ames Aircr
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APPENDIX C Five-Year Plan Task Name
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24. NASA POLARIS 25. NASA SAGE III
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ATM AVIRIS AVOCET AXCTD Airborne To
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GLISTIN GloPac GOLD GPS GRIP GSFC G
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NAS NASA NASDAT NCAR NGC NIR NMEA N
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U UAPO UAS UAV UAVSAR UCSD UND URS
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2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

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