NASA eyes partnerships to extend lives of three aging Earth observation satellites
Aura's launch in July 2004 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Gettyimages.com/U.S. Air Force / Handout
By
Nick Wakeman
NASA is exploring how public-private partnerships could help continue the data collection missions of Terra, Aqua and Aura.
NASA is looking for ways to keep three aging Earth observation satellites in operation as their power supplies dwindle.
Terra, Aqua and Aura were launched between 1999 and 2004. They have run out of fuel to maintain their orbits and have begun to drift, which limits how long their instruments can continue operating.
Their end-of-life dates are between 2027 and 2028, which is when NASA predicts they will no longer have enough power to operate their instruments.
But the satellites can still deliver valuable data on the atmosphere, land and oceans. The data is used for weather forecasting, air quality monitoring, disaster response and natural hazard monitoring.
In a request for information posted Thursday, NASA is looking for partners who can continue to collect the satellite data and keep it widely available to the research and applications communities. NASA will eventually decommission the satellites, but the partnership could extend the data collection mission of the satellites beyond the current end of life dates.
The RFI cites potential partners as including industry, universities, non-profits, individuals, NASA centers, federally-funded research-and-development centers such as the Jet Propulsion Lab, and other government agencies.
NASA wants to reduce its operational burden and advance the commercial remote sensing industry.
Some of the partnership models NASA asks about include:
- Fully-reimbursable, where the partner pays NASA to run everything.
- Non-reimbursable, where the partner takes over operation and costs.
- Hybrid models, where responsibilities are shared.
The RFI does not disclose what operating the satellites costs. NASA is asking for areas of clarification if it decides to move forward with a solicitation, which in this case will be an Announcement for Partnership Proposals.
The scope of the partnership agreement would cover mission operations, instrument calibration, data collection and processing, and data distribution.
Comments on the RFI are due Jan. 29.