NOAA Satellite Products from Development to Operations

NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) generates and distributes environmental satellite products to support end user requirements for atmospheric, oceanic, and land surface data. Once a user requirement is validated and funding, personnel, and information technology resources are secured, the product life cycle process begins. Development includes testing, verifying, validating, modifying and enhancing science algorithms, and preparing code for operational implementation, after which code and algorithms are transitioned to operations. Once a product is no longer needed, products can be retired. Benefits of NOAA's satellite products include improved forecasts and warnings, better environmental resource monitoring over both oceans and land, as well as providing tools for scientists to better understand the Earth's changing climate.

Recent satellite products that have transitioned from research to operations include tropical cyclone products, global biomass burning emissions, vegetation products, and enhancements to blended total precipitable water and blended rain rate products. This presentation will describe those and other recent examples of product development efforts that have transitioned to operations, and will describe future products that are planned for operational distribution to users.