GOES-R End-to-End Readiness at the University of Wisconsin - Madison Space Science and Engineering Center Data Center

In preparation for the launch of GOES-R in October of 2016, the University of Wisconsin – Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) Data Center has designed an end to end system that ingests, processes, delivers and archives data from this new series of geostationary satellites. At the most basic level, data from the satellite are transmitted to and processed at the GOES-R ground station. The GOES-R data is rebroadcast (GRB) via the satellite where it can be received and ingested at locations such as the SSEC Data Center.

The readiness plan utilizes a simulated data flow using one of two different sources. First, data can be generated by the Harris GRB simulator. Second, Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) datasets from Wisconsin's Algorithm Working Group (AWG) can be passed through GRB simulating software. In either case, both types of simulators generate data packets that are sent into SSEC's Satellite Data Ingestor (SDI). The SDI processes and serves the real-time GOES-R data to users. During the data processing, messages are disseminated via a RabbitMQ server allowing users to be immediately notified when images are available. Additionally, the data are pushed in near real-time to other computers for archival and cluster processing.

SSEC has a tradition of providing scientists and forecasters immediate access to the first images sent from new satellites. These efforts are key to allowing users access to the data during any post-launch tests. Readiness plans are an integral part to this process.