2008 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

Personnel from both countries were
integrated into the program at JSC. The
scientists and engineers were familiarized with
the earth survey programs and findings by
their integration into the JSC Earth Resources
Aircraft Program. The personnel were
instructed on the analysis of data collected
by the various aircraft sensors in the various
spectral bands and the various pattern
recognition tools that had been developed by
that time. They then participated in mission
planning for the acquisition of that data and
participated in the airborne mission, both
on-board the P-3A aircraft, and in gathering
ground truth data. They then participated in
the reduction and analysis of that data with
assistance of the JSC discipline scientists and
technical personnel.
The next phase of the program was to return
to their home countries and plan remote
sensing data acquisition missions in their
various disciplines at their test sites with JSC
science and technical support. After this
was completed JSC, earth resources aircraft
and personnel deployed to test sites in
both countries and flew data acquisition
missions with on-board participation of
their own personnel utilizing the P-3A.
Data was processed at JSC and returned
to the participants at which time JSC earth
resources scientists assisted in the analysis.
The final step was for both countries to
establish their own earth survey programs,
replete with aircraft, sensors, and data
processing and analysis capabilities. This was
accomplished. It was a start for Central
and South American countries to establish
remote sensing capabilities to manage their
natural resources. It was a very productive
pilot program, with the program objectives
successfully accomplished.
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