Systems and Services for Real-Time Web Access to NPP Data

Global Science & Technology, Inc. (GST) proposes to build a scalable, adaptable, and interoperable information processing and delivery infrastructure that will provide near-real-time access to satellite data from the National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP), its follow-on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), and other near-real-time observations to modelers, forecasters, and decision-makers. Thanks to distributed Direct Broadcast facilities, a streamlined processing chain, and a scalable cloud computing environment, we propose to build technology that will reduce the latency in NPP data delivery to end-users from several hours to several minutes. Our proposed activity would serve near-real-time NPP, JPSS, and other data for the area within an antenna's satellite footprint via industry-standard Web-services, so as to maximize the use of these data by a broad set of users.

We intend to reach out to a broad set of users from commercial shipping and delivery firms and federal, state, and local emergency services and disaster response agencies, to mass-market information services, either specialized (such as WeatherBug) or generic (such as Google Maps). We also intend to generalize our platform to support varied data sources: MODIS, NPP, and GOES data would be followed by other imagery data; by point data such as AERONET or MoPED; and by Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) soundings of atmospheric and surface structure, including NASA's proposed Deformation, Ecosystem Structure and Dynamics of Ice (DESDynI) mission in the longer term. This would let many different commercial, research, or government entities deploy our platform to serve their own or third-party data without needing to translate or decode complex data; or to maintain in-house server farms. Additional applications might include search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring, agriculture and forestry -- even law enforcement (e.g., working with Brazil's national remote sensing center to deter illegal logging in the Amazon).

Our initial target market is NASA's technical outreach to operational weather forecasters in the National Weather Service -- led by the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) program. Our software may facilitate commoditizing and outsourcing the more routine data-access functions that SPoRT provides, allowing it to focus on new data streams and applications; and on more effective training and outreach to forecasters. Service-based data dissemination and scalability through cloud computing would also be useful to the new JPSS mission as a whole (especially given recent changes to the NPOESS / JPSS program), given the importance of effective, timely delivery of NPP data. To suit NASA customer needs for security or verifiability, we hope to offer the option of deploying servers in a government cloud computing environment such as NASA's Nebula, in lieu of commercial providers such as Amazon EC2. We may be also work with people in NASA or NOAA to create client software that would draw on our data services and apply them to particular user needs. We also envision applications of our technology to future NASA missions, such as DESDynI or others in the Decadal Survey or venture Class constellations; and to specialized computing needs such as those of the GSFC Scientific Visualization Studio.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — 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.