Science Algorithms Transition to Operations: Lessons Learned

The Satellite Products and Services Review Board (SPSRB) at National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), has implemented a systems engineering process for successfully transitioning various satellite products from research to operations. To track the progress of the projects and identify any issues that can impact the successful transition of the project to operations, reviews are conducted along the life cycle of the science algorithm project. Following this process, algorithms for NESDIS Unique Products (NUPs) are being transitioned from research at the Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) to operations at the Office of Satellite Product and Operations (OSPO) by the S-NPP Data Exploitation (NDE) project. STAR and OSPO personnel conduct the project reviews, which are actively supported by NDE personnel, so that all issues are identified before the algorithms are delivered to NDE for implementation. As part of the SPSRB process, NDE has detailed standards for metadata conventions, file contents and names, which must be met by the algorithms and products to be accepted by NDE for transition to operations. While promoting an enterprise approach to product generation, the process ensures faster transition to operations. A number of product systems have recently been declared operational following this transition to operations process: S-NPP Green Vegetation Fraction, Microwave Tropical Cyclone Product, NUCAPS, MiRS, and VIIRS Polar Winds. While most of the science algorithm systems have had a smooth transition, a number of issues arose during the process. One such example is that multiple algorithm package deliveries had to be made due to incompleteness before being implemented by NDE. The lessons learned from addressing the issues throughout the transition to operations process and the associated algorithm deliveries will be presented.