History and Lessons Learned from Experimental Satellite Product Evaluations

Starting nearly 10 years prior to the launch of the first GOES-R series satellite, significant efforts were made to simulate data and products from the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) so they could be used for algorithm development and user readiness. Around that same time, the GOES-R Proving Ground was stood up as a way to put these simulated data and products in front of forecasters to get feedback. The Proving Ground was inspired by the original Spring Experiment held every year in Norman, Oklahoma, where mainly experimental numerical model forecasts and warning decision aids were tested in front of forecasters. GOES-R supported a number of “satellite liaisons” who were employed by the NOAA Cooperative Institutes but sat at various National Weather Service (NWS) Centers, such as the Storm Prediction Center, the NWS Training Center, and the Operations Proving Ground. The liaisons led evaluations of the planned GOES-R satellite products, including setting up data feeds, training forecasters on their use, and most importantly collecting feedback on the products to send back to the developers. They also collected user needs from the forecasters and fed that information back to the science community.

Today, the liaison program continues, with their primary role being to help test new experimental products and new applications of existing products from both geostationary and polar orbiting satellites. With the beginning of the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) and Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) programs, we enter a new phase of user readiness for the future generation of NOAA satellite data. This presentation will provide a brief history of experimental product evaluations and discuss lessons learned that may be applied to future data & product development and user readiness.