← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
This project enables code development necessary for simulations to be directly driven with in-situ data on a satellite track inside numerical simulation. Doing so is essential to the process of using the wealth of data from an increasing network of satellite assets to constrain space weather forecasting, and to the process of theory providing feedback informing science measurement requirements and instrument performance requirements for future mission development. This project builds on the magnetohydrodynamics characteristics-based method of data driving developed in Tarr, Kee, Linton, Schuck, & Leake (2024). At the end of this effort, we will have adapted this method to be able to directly drive a numerical simulation in a fully three-dimensional way using data provided on a satellite track traversing the interior of a computational domain.
The method we utilize preferences the simulation's underlying equations of magnetohydrodynamics over the sometimes uncertain or incomplete time series of observations when the two do not agree. Doing so accounts for error bars on the observational data and a lower cadence of observations than typical timescales in the simulation. This allows for an a posteriori test on the degree to which the observational error bars and data cadence have influenced the results of the numerical simulations. Therefore, comparing the input data and the output of the simulation opens a more direct pathway for modeling to define scientific measurement and instrumentation performance requirements for future NASA missions.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.