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N O A A S A T E L L I T E A N D I N F O R M A T I O N S E R V I C E

A n n u a l R e p o r t
Our mission is to deliver accurate, timely, and reliable satellite 

observations and integrated products and to provide long-term stewardship for 

global environmental data in support of the NOAA mission.

VISIT us online at: 

www.nesdis.noaa.gov

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A Letter from the Assistant Administrator 1

Introduction to the 

NOAA Satellite and Information Service 2

Spotlight on Satellites 6

Weather 10

Climate 14

Oceans 16

Coasts 18

Interview: Greg Mandt, 

GOES-R Program Office Director 20

People and Awards 24

Annual Report Credits

Layout & Artistic Design- Marc Pulliam 

Technical Writers- Patricia Huff, Toni Parham, Ryan Quick 

Special thanks to the NESDIS 

Communications Team and NESDIS 

Headquarters Staff for their input and review

contents
All in a day’s work

February Ranked 

17th Warmest on Record

NOAA Satellites Track Raging U.S. Wild

El Niño-Southern Oscillation a

2010 One 

NS

NOA

U.S. Temperature and Precipitation Near-Normal in February

NOAA Satellites Aid in the Rescue of 295 People in 2010

Climate, Weather, Oceans, and Coasts: The NOAA Mission

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in Earth’s 

climate, weather, oceans, and coasts; share that knowledge and 

information with others; and conserve and manage coastal and 

marine ecosystems and resources. NOAA works to make new 

discoveries and expand its understandings of the oceans and 

atmosphere, and apply this understanding to issues such as the 

causes and consequences of climate change; the physical dynamics of high-impact weather events; the dynamics of complex ecosystems and biodiversity; and the ability to model and 

predict the future states of these systems. NOAA services include 

climate predictions and projections; weather and water reports, 

forecasts, and warnings; nautical charts and navigational information; and the continuous delivery of a range of Earth observations and scientific data sets for use by public, private, and 

academic sectors. Stewardship is NOAA’s direct use of its knowledge to protect people and the environment as the agency exercises its direct authority to regulate and sustain marine fisheries 

and their ecosystems; protect endangered species; protect and 

restore habitats and ecosystems; conserve marine sanctuaries 

and other protected places; respond to environmental emergencies; and aid in disaster recovery.

NOAA: U.S. had above normal temperatures and precipitati

The NOAA

MISSION
k

NOAA: 2010 Tied For Warmest Year on Record

dfires, Aid Firefighters

U.S. SLIGHTLY COOLER AND

 WETTER THAN NORMAL IN MAY

and Other Climate Patterns Play a Major Role in 2010; 

e of the Two Warmest Years on Record 

SOF Hosts NOAA’s 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season Press Conference 

AA: JANUARY 2011 RANKED 17TH WARMEST ON RECORD

NOAA satellites proved critical in forecasts of tornado outbreak

NOAA: U.S. Cooler and Much Drier

 than Normal in January

NCDC ISSUES THE 2010 STATE OF THE CLIMATE REPORT

Earth Had 13th Warmest March On Record

Average U.S. temperature increases

 by 0.5 degrees °F

ion in March

www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news_archives/

Read more of our headlines:
Office of Satellite and Product Operations Director 

Kathy Kelly, Fairbanks CDA Station Manager Larry 

Ledlow, Senator Mark Begich, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, and NOAA Satellite and 

Information Service Assistant Administrator Mary 

Kicza at the Fairbanks Alaska Satellite Operations 

Facility ribbon cutting in August 2011.
A Letter from the Assistant Administrator

Dear Colleagues:

NESDIS has risen to the challenge of providing uninterrupted operations of the Nation’s civil environmental satellite systems, providing data collection and archiving services, and developing the next generation systems to meet critical National priorities even in this austere budget environment. 

We remain the world’s best at ensuring a continuous uninterrupted flow of environmental data from satellites to weather forecasters and other users. 

This function is recognized as a primary mission essential function, or one that is essential to support the continuity of Government. Satellite observations are the foundation on which the Nation’s forecasts, warnings, and environmental observational systems are based. Our environmental satellites 

are key national infrastructure that helps protect lives and property and add immense value to the national economy.

Our next generation polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite programs are poised to deliver enhanced observations for the future. NOAA is investing today to ensure that the Nation can continue to rely on these critical observations in the future. This key national infrastructure is essential to our 

Nation’s ability to prepare for and deal with severe weather and other environmental phenomena.

We forged new international partnerships to meet the growing demand for environmental information to take advantage of a shift in the traditional 

paradigm of operational satellites. We are positioning ourselves to meet the rising demand for information through our satellite architecture and data 

centers. We look to our users and stakeholders to help prioritize our observational requirements; we look to our partner domestic and international 

space organizations to ensure open sharing of environmental data; and we look to our industry colleagues for new and innovative ways to meet our 

earth and space monitoring needs in a fiscally responsible way. 

The Nation needs environmental information in order to make informed decisions to save lives and protect property, and promote economic prosperity and protect national security. NESDIS will continue to provide the assets and services to meet this critical national need. 

Reflecting over the past year, with the record number of weather and climate disasters causing $1 billion or more in damages and most regrettably, loss 

of human lives, now is the time to reaffirm the importance of the Nation’s investments in environmental monitoring and prediction. NESDIS will 

continue providing the invaluable services upon which the Nation has come to rely while planning and implementing a more efficient and sustainable 

future for the Nation’s environmental satellite infrastructure. 

Mary E. Kicza

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NOAA Satellite and 

Information Service 

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) 

NESDIS is dedicated to providing timely access to global environmental data from 

satellites and other sources to promote, protect, and enhance the Nation’s economy, 

security, environment, and quality of life. To fulfill its responsibilities, NESDIS—

informally known as the NOAA Satellite and Information Service—acquires and 

manages the Nation’s operational environmental satellites, operates the NOAA Na-

tional Data Centers, provides data and information services including Earth system 

monitoring, performs official assessments of the environment, and conducts related 

research.

Our vision is to be the world’s most comprehensive source and recognized author-

ity for satellite products, environmental information, and official assessments of the 

environment in support of societal and economic decisions. To achieve our vision, we 

collaborate with other agencies and organizations to describe changes to our climate 

and the implications of those changes. We continue to lead the effort with other 

agencies and countries in establishing a global observing system to meet the world’s 

information needs for weather, climate, oceans, and disasters and developing a skilled, 

energetic, and dedicated workforce through training, motivation, and teamwork.

NOAA maintains two primary constellations of environmental satellites: polarorbiting and geostationary satellites. These are part of NOAA’s integrated observing 

system, which includes satellites, radars, surface automated weather stations, weather 

balloons, sounders, buoys, instrumented aircraft, and other sensors, along with the 

data management infrastructure needed for this system. This integrated system is 

the foundation upon which NOAA works towards achieving our four main goals—a 

weather-ready Nation, climate adaptation and mitigation, healthy oceans, and resil-

ient coastal communities and ecosystems. 

Introduction to the

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Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO)

Location: Suitland, Maryland; Camp Springs, Maryland; Fairbanks, Alaska; Wallops Island, Virginia; Director: Kathleen A. Kelly; Employees: 292

OSPO manages critical environmental satellite information that is the 

foundation on which the Nation’s weather forecasts and warnings are 

built. From four command and control centers across the United States, 

OSPO operates 17 satellites and provides uninterrupted environmental 

data and services to users such as the National Weather Service, U.S. 

Air Force, and U.S. Navy. These products are used for predicting and 

tracking hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and other severe weather. In addition, the office manages NOAA’s Search and Rescue Satellite Aided 

Tracking system, which detects and locates mariners, aviators, and recreational enthusiasts in distress. OSPO also manages the NOAA Ice 

Center, a multi-agency organization that observes and forecasts sea and 

lake ice in the western hemisphere for operational requirements of U.S. 

national interests. 

Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)

Location: Camp Springs, Maryland; Director: Al Powell; Employees: 84

STAR, NESDIS’s science arm, conducts applied research activities that 

improve the application of satellite and other environmental data in 

forecasts, watches, and warnings. STAR researches and develops algorithms that turn satellite data into useful environmental observations 

and forecasts. In addition, the center investigates both enhanced and 

new sensor technology for future NOAA satellite missions. STAR scientists examine which products users will need—including ocean, ecosystem, climate, and weather products—to carry out NOAA’s mission 

goals. Then they collaboratively develop efficient methods and technology to transfer new products from research to operations. STAR 

supports the calibration and validation of all data in NOAA’s satellite 

operations and is widely acknowledged to be the international authority 

on the calibration and validation of satellite data.

Office of Space Commercialization (OSC)

Location: Washington, D.C.; Director: Charles S. Baker (Acting); Employees: 4

OSC’s mission is to foster the conditions for the economic growth and 

technological advancement of the U.S. space commerce industry. As 

the lead for space commerce policy activities within NOAA and the 

Department of Commerce, OSC is active in the areas of satellite navigation, commercial remote sensing, space transportation, hosted payloads, 

and potential NOAA use of commercial space services. The office also 

advocates the role of the commercial space sector in broad governmental discussions of national space policy and other space-related issues. 

OSC also hosts the National Executive Committee for Space-Based 

Positioning, Navigation, and Timing, which addresses policy matters 

related to the Global Positioning System for the Federal Government.

On November 21, 2011, VIIRS acquired its first images, 

which show a broad swath of Eastern North America 

from Canada’s Hudson Bay past Florida to the northern 

coast of Venezuela. The information from VIIRS was 

processed at NSOF in Suitland, Md. 

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Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office (CRSRA)

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland; Director: Tahara Dawkins; Employees: 6

The CRSRA office regulates the operation of private earth remote 

sensing space systems subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, 

ensuring their international competitiveness while preserving essential national security interests, foreign policy, and international obligations. The office is committed to supporting commerce and technology growth, and helping the security of our homeland by ensuring U.S. 

commercial remote sensing satellite firms operate in accordance with 

U.S. laws, regulations, and license terms and conditions. CRSRA also 

manages the NOAA Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote 

Sensing (ACCRES), which advises the Under Secretary of Commerce 

for Oceans and Atmosphere on matters relating to the U.S. commercial 

remote sensing industry.

International and Interagency Affairs Division (IIAD)

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland; Director: D. Brent Smith; Employees: 15

IIAD leads NESDIS’ efforts to develop partnerships with foreign counterpart space and international user organizations as well as with other 

U.S. Government agencies. IIAD negotiates Memoranda of Understanding and letter agreements with foreign and other Federal agencies 

in support of NOAA to ensure continued foreign instrument contributions to NOAA satellites and cost sharing provision of satellite services; 

to obtain full operational access to foreign satellite and ground-based 

data; and to actively promote international acceptance of the U.S. data 

policy of full and open international data sharing. It also develops NOAA’s position in connection with a number of international organizations, including the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations, 

the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites and the Coordination 

Group on Meteorological Satellites. 

National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)

Location: Asheville, North Carolina; Director: Thomas R. Karl; Employees: 163

NCDC is the world’s largest archive of weather and climate data. NCDC 

provides long-term preservation, management, and access to the Nation’s 

resource of global climate and historical weather data, and continuously 

monitors and assesses climate change. As the steward of the Nation’s 

climate information, NCDC conducts climate research, develops climate 

products, provides access to climate data, and provides regular analysis on 

the climate in the United States and the world. The center operates the 

World Data Center for Meteorology, co-located at NCDC in Asheville, 

North Carolina, and the World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, located in Boulder, Colorado. NCDC’s data and products are used in a variety 

of applications including agriculture, energy sector, insurance, city planning, and transportation to fulfill needs ranging from developing building 

codes to forecasting energy usage and planning crop planting schedules.

National Geophysical Data Center

Location: Boulder, Colorado; Director: Christopher Fox; Employees: 40 

NGDC manages over 850 digital and analog environmental data 

sets for the Nation, providing scientists, industry, and the public with 

NOAA’s NCDC released the 1981-2010 Normals on July 1, 2011. Climate Normals are the latest three-decade 

averages of climatological variables, including temperature and precipitation. This new product replaces the 

1971-2000 Normals product. 

4
access to this information. NGDC stewards data for quality and longevity, and creates products to address arising national needs. The space 

weather data archived at NGDC are critical to the analysis and prediction of space weather events that affect satellites, aircraft routing, and 

the Nation’s power grid. NGDC develops and maintains the World 

Magnetic Model for the Department of Defense. This model, based on 

worldwide magnetic field data, describes the Earth’s constantly changing magnetic field in time and location. The model is included in GPS 

devices, cell phones, cameras, and computing tablets that use Earth’s 

magnetic field for direction; it is paramount for safe navigation and the 

military’s war fighting ability.

National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC)

Location: Silver Spring, Maryland; Director: Margarita Gregg; Employees: 67

NODC manages marine data, provides a record of Earth’s changing 

environment, and supports numerous research and operational applications. NODC maintains and updates a national ocean information archive with environmental data acquired from national and international 

activities. This information includes physical, biological, and chemical 

measurements derived from in situ oceanographic observations, satellite 

remote sensing of the oceans, and ocean model simulations. In addition, 

NODC manages and operates the World Data Center for Oceanography, also located in Silver Spring, Maryland. Working cooperatively, the 

data centers provide products and services to scientists, engineers, policy 

makers, and other users in the United States and around the world. 

The Operational Linescan System sensor onboard the U.S. Air Force DMSP satellite has a unique capability 

to detect the visible and near-infrared energy associated with lights at night. NOAA manages the orbit and 

data acquisition of this satellite and the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, CO analyzes 

and archives the data. The Nighttime Lights of the World is one such analysis. Shown here are comparisons 

of how nighttime lights have changed over the planet from 1992 to 2009. White areas indicate no change, 

yellow indicate an increase in nighttime lights, and purple indicate a decrease in nighttime lights over the 17 

year period. 

Shown here is a rendering of the 

average annual global salinity at 

the ocean’s surface. This climatology is created by averaging the 

global ocean salinity over five 

decades to create a long-term 

average. Notice how in-land 

areas have much lower salinity 

than areas in the middle of the 

ocean basins, due to freshwater 

inputs from rivers. On average, the 

ocean contains around 35 parts 

of salt per 1,000 parts of water 

(or 35 grams of salt per 1 liter of 

water). These values change with 

temperature, depth, and proximity to land.

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ocean salinity (parts per thousand)
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Spotlight on 

SATELLITES

GOES and POES: Two Orbits, One Mission

NOAA’s environmental satellites are key tools for forecasting weather, ana-

lyzing climate, and monitoring hazards worldwide. This 24-hour global 

coverage provides scientists and managers with a never-ending stream of 

information used in preparation for events that will impact our climate, 

weather, and oceans. NOAA manages and operates two groups of envi-

ronmental satellites: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satel-

lites (GOES) and Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites 

(POES). GOES continuously monitor the Western Hemisphere by cir-

cling the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit 22,000 miles above the equa-

tor, meaning they remain over one position of the surface by orbiting at a 

speed matching the Earth’s rotation. Information from GOES is used for 

short-term weather forecasting and severe storm tracking. GOES imagery 

is also used to estimate rainfall during thunderstorms and hurricanes for 

flash flood warnings, as well as estimate snowfall accumulation and overall 

extent of snow cover. This information helps meteorologists issue winter 

storm warnings and spring snow melt advisories. POES circle the Earth 

in an almost north-south orbit at an altitude of approximately 517 miles, 

passing close to both poles. The Earth constantly rotates counterclockwise 

underneath the path of the satellite, allowing a different view with each 

orbit. It takes the satellite approximately 1.5 hours complete a full orbit. In 

a 24-hour period, the 14 orbits of each polar satellite provide two complete 

views of weather around the world. POES provides full global coverage 

with advanced sensors for weather and climate data, collecting information 

on temperature, atmospheric conditions, wind speed, cloud formation, and 

drought conditions over the entire Earth.

POES

GOES

GOES
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Development

Office of Systems Development (OSD)

OSD is responsible for planning NOAA’s future spacecraft, instruments, launch services, and ground systems through defining observation requirements; designing space and ground segments; and managing the development, construction, and check-out of those systems.

Production

Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)

JPSS is the Nation’s next-generation polar-orbiting satellite system. 

Continuing NOAA’s 40-year record of polar-orbiting satellite observations, the JPSS Program is the successor to the National Polar-orbiting 

Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Program, 

which was dissolved by the President in early 2010. Expected to launch 

in 2016, JPSS will ensure that NOAA continues providing the satellite 

data necessary for monitoring the earth, managing resources, and supporting the Nation’s economy for many years to come. 

NOAA made considerable progress on the JPSS Program in 2011. 

Following the NPOESS decision, NOAA completed a reorganization 

that established a new NESDIS office to manage the JPSS Program. 

In addition, NOAA entered into a JPSS partnership with NASA, a 

proven developer of spaceflight systems. NOAA and NASA have successfully transitioned all JPSS contracts for spacecraft, instruments, 

and the ground system from U.S. Air Force to NASA management, 

which allows for proper Government oversight of the work to ensure it 

meets NOAA and NASA standards. Despite uncertain funding levels 

in 2011, NOAA and NASA were able to fully staff the JPSS Program 

Office and continue activity on development of the first JPSS spacecraft 

while ensuring the successful launch of the JPSS precursor, NPOESS 

Preparatory Project in October 2011. 

JPSS: THE FUTURE OF POLAR-ORBITING SATELLITES

Keeping our citizens safe from extreme weather events through 

storm tracking, enhanced weather prediction capabilities, and 

long-term climate monitoring is the cornerstone of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) mission. JPSS’s new instruments will 

provide environmental monitoring that will advance weather 

forecasting and environmental prediction, which will improve 

the ability of the public, Federal Government, first responders, and businesses to plan for the future. The first JPSS spacecraft, JPSS-1, will take advantage of technologies developed 

through the NPOESS Preparatory Project, launched in October 2011. JPSS will produce many benefits on a daily basis 

including early warnings of hazardous weather conditions; enhanced weather prediction capabilities that will enable advanced 

planning by Government and industry for extreme weather 

events; and real-time storm tracking that will provide airline 

pilots with the most current and accurate weather information available to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew.

An artist’s rendering of the JPSS.

POES
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On October 28, 2011, the NPP satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force, California, at 2:48 a.m. PDT 

aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. At approximately 3:45 a.m. PDT, the spacecraft separated 

from the Delta II to the delight of NOAA and NASA officials. The satellite will orbit 512 miles above the Earth’s 

surface, circling the globe every 102 minutes. The successful launch of NPP ushers in the next-generation of 

Earth-observing satellites.

Images credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
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NOAA reached a major milestone with the launch of the NPP satellite, which is carrying five instruments developed for JPSS. NPP is 

designed to continue operational observations from NOAA’s Polarorbiting Operational Environmental Satellite and NASA’s Earth Observing System, and will enhance NOAA’s ability to collect critical 

data. This will improve short-term weather forecasting and increase 

NOAA’s understanding of long-term climate change. Data from 

NPP are processed and distributed at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland and sent to the National Weather 

Service and other users around the world. Paving the way for JPSS, 

NPP will enable NOAA to continue issuing accurate forecasts and 

disaster warnings as the satellite takes crucial images and measurements to track atmospheric changes that can lead to floods, blizzards, 

storms, and tornadoes. NOAA and NASA completed the final phase 

of testing on the ground system for NPP in August 2011. The ground 

system will support satellite operations, data processing, and data distribution for the NPP, JPSS, and DWSS satellites.

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites Series R

GOES-R, the next generation of geostationary weather satellites, is 

scheduled to launch in 2015. The program is a collaborative development and acquisition effort between NOAA and NASA. The GOESR satellite will provide continuous imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s Western Hemisphere as well as space weather 

monitoring. It will be the primary tool for the detection and tracking 

of hurricanes and severe weather and provide new and improved applications and products for fulfilling NOAA’s goals of understanding 

and predicting changes in the Earth’s climate, weather, oceans, and 

coasts.

The GOES-R Program is managed by NOAA with an integrated 

NOAA-NASA program office, staffed with personnel from NOAA 

and NASA and co-located at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. 

The Flight Project oversees the development of the Space Segment, 

which consists of the spacecraft, instruments, the launch vehicle, and 

the auxiliary communication payloads. The Ground Segment Project manages acquisition of the entire ground system and the Remote 

Backup Facility. This includes the facilities, antenna sites, and software/hardware for satellite command and control needed for processing, creating, and distributing end user products.

NESDIS STRIKES AGREEMENT FOR JAPANESE SATELLITE DATA 

NESDIS entered into an agreement with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for satellite information that will assist 

scientists understand water circulation and climate change. NOAA 

will receive access to data from the Global Change Observation 

Mission-Water 1 (GCOM-W1) satellite in exchange for ground system support to JAXA. GCOM-W1 carries the Advanced Microwave 

Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) instrument, which observes waterrelated targets such as precipitation, water vapor, and snow depth. 

AMSR2 data will complement data from NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite 

System (JPSS) and meet key NOAA observational requirements in areas such as total water vapor content, cumulative cloud and water 

volume, and rainfall. GCOM-W1 data will provide continuity of microwave radiometer data that was supplied by the AMSR-E sensor 

on the NASA AQUA mission before AMSR-E reached the end of its 

operational life on October 5, 2011. GCOM-W1 data will contribute 

to a range of environmental data products used routinely in weather 

forecasting. Access to the data will allow NOAA to have improved 

forecasting skill without having to build and launch a similar satellite.
WEATHER

a weather-ready nation

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Antarctica Station Doubles Data Delivery

On June 10, 2011, the Antarctica Data Acquisition (ADA) Station successfully began receiving images from Metop satellites for the first time 

in history, allowing NOAA to process and deliver information from 

the polar orbiting satellites approximately twice as fast. Operated by 

EUMETSAT, the Metop series records meteorological and environmental data used by U.S. and European weather services for analyses 

of fires, tropical cyclones, volcano plume, and precipitation and general 

weather pattern observations. NOAA’s Office of Satellite and Product 

Operations (OSPO) implemented technology at the ADA Station—

located at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) McMurdo 

Station—that lets it download images from a Metop satellite when it 

reaches the South Pole. Previously images from a Metop satellite were 

only downloaded at the Svalbard Ground Station at the North Pole. 

Environmental Satellite Processing Center Gets Stronger 

Security and Alert System

NOAA’s Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) produces 

satellite-derived products and services from the Environmental Satellite Processing Center (ESPC) to support weather forecasting; watches 

and warnings for severe weather, floods, and volcanic-ash; coastal and 

resource management; and climate analyses. ESPC’s critical data are 

accessed regularly by a wide variety of users, from weather forecasters to local officials and decision makes to the U.S. military. In 2011, 

ESPC established a highly effective security system that will result in 

less down time, improved use of computer resources, and a better understanding of system strengths and weaknesses. The new system allows ESPC to be better protected from intentional and unintentional 

disruptions of core services, such as data loading, product generation, 

and product delivery. OSPO is working on implementing additional 

controls. In addition, OSPO recently implemented Customer Relationship Management software that sends e-mail alerts to system users 

when a satellite malfunction causes a disruption in the delivery of data. 

Customers such as the National Weather Service can customize their 

notifications so they only receive the information they want. The new 

software also assists in incident tracking and assessing the impact of 

planned or unplanned outages faster. 

New Center Aims to Improve Weather Forecasting

The Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) made an 

important move towards improving NOAA’s weather, climate, and 

ocean forecasting abilities with the creation of a center that will finetune global satellite data. The National Calibration Center (NCC), 

located at the NOAA facility in College Park, Maryland, will coordinate, develop, and apply techniques to calibrate data from other U.S. 

Government agencies, partners, and space agencies around the world 

across various satellite programs. By providing a single source of wellcalibrated satellite data, NCC saves users the cost and burden of having 

to understand the instrument specifics and scientific details associated 

with satellite measurements. In addition, NCC will endeavor to continually improve calibration techniques through research and community 

collaboration in order to make the data more accurate, precise, and reliOffice of Satellite and Product Operations Director Kathy Kelly gives Deputy Administrator, Dr. Kathy Sullivan 

a tour of the NOAA’s Office of Satellite and Product Operations Office. 

11
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able. The center is also providing cross-cutting support to our satellite 

programs and leveraging technical expertise from other agencies.

STAR Enhances Hurricane Intensity Forecasting

NOAA’s Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) improved the operational statistical models used to predict changes in hurricane and tropical cyclone intensity. The average number of errors was 

reduced by about six percent due to these upgrades. Among the improvements were more advanced statistical techniques and better use of 

satellite data. Better storm forecasts are beneficial to coastal residents, 

emergency managers, and law enforcement officials. STAR collaborated with the Office of Atmospheric Research and the National Weather 

Service to implement the changes to the models used by the National 

Hurricane Center for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, which was 

the third most active season ever. The forecasts for the 2010 season that 

were derived from the new intensity models were the most accurate of 

any of the operational hurricane models used by NHC. STAR used 

numerous methods to develop the enhancements such as increasing the 

database of infrared imagery from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. STAR also identified new factors that affect storm 

intensity changes, including changes in wind direction with height and 

regions of high winds in the middle levels of the atmosphere surrounding the storm. 

GOES Data Used in South Eastern U.S. Tornado Monitoring

The Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) provided information and products in late April 2011 to aid in the emergency 

response to the tornado outbreak in the lower Mississippi Valley, one 

of the most severe tornado incidents in recent history. The National 

Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center access to data from 

the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 13 (GOES13)—the GOES-East satellite that covers the United States with a focus on the eastern portion of the country—for Rapid Scan Operations 

(RSO) prior to and during the tornadoes. NWS needed imagery and 

data from the satellite to help their forecasters track the storm. OSPO 

successfully supplied the necessary GOES imagery for 12–14 hours every day from April 25 to 28, making additional data and products available to NWS, other customers, and the public. NWS usually performs 

RSO for only a few hours at a time. Since the late 1990s, NESDIS 

has maintained multiple satellite schedules for the GOES satellites in 

order to facilitate extra data gathering to meet requests from NWS, 

which routinely makes such requests during periods of severe weather 

or land falling hurricanes. These extra data allow for refresh of data approximately every 7.5 minutes instead of every 15 minutes in normal 

operations.

A picture of damage from the tornado that hit Joplin, MO, on May 22, 2011.
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This satellite imagery from GOES East shows the storm system 

moments before spawning the tornado, estimated to have struck 

shortly before 6:00 pm CST. Many houses, school buildings, and the 

St. John Medical Center sustained major damage. 
14

CLIMATE

climate adaptation and mitigation
NCDC Releases 1981–2010 Climate Normals

NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) released data in 

June 2011 that showed average temperatures in the continental United 

States have increased over the past 30 years. According to the 1981–

2010 Climate Normals, annual maximum and minimum temperatures 

across the country were approximately 0.5 degree °F warmer on average than the time period from 1971 to 2000. Climate Normals are 

three-decade averages of many climatological variables, most notably 

temperature and precipitation. Regularly seen on television weather reports, Climate Normals are used every time someone compares the current temperature to the historical average normal. In addition, they are 

used in many other industries, serving as a point of reference for typical 

climate conditions at a given place. Builders, insurers, and engineers 

use Climate Normals for planning and risk management and energy 

companies use the data to predict fuel demand. In addition, farmers rely 

on the information to help make decisions on both crop selection and 

planting times. This once-a-decade release updates the Climate Normals for more than 7,500 locations across the United States. The 2011 

release included data from more than a thousand new stations. NCDC 

produced hourly, daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual Climate Normals 

for variables such as temperature, precipitation, and snowfall. Data were 

also calculated for significant quantities, such as heating and cooling 

degree days and the number of days per month above or below certain 

thresholds. NCDC made numerous improvements and additions to the 

methods used to calculate the 1981–2010 Climate Normals, including 

better quality control and statistical techniques. NCDC engaged state 

and regional climatologists as well as industry users before and after 

releasing the Climate Normals and incorporated new products based 

on stakeholder feedback, specifically for the agriculture and energy industry.

NCDC Delivers State of the Climate Report in 2010

The National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC’s) 2010 State of the Climate 

Report highlighted the major role that climate patterns played in 2010 and 

showed that the year was one of the two warmest on record. The annual 

peer-reviewed State of the Climate Report provides an updated “physical” of 

the climate system as well as insights into our capacity to measure it. The 

report tracked 41 climate indicators—four more than the previous year—

including temperature in the lower and upper atmosphere, precipitation, 

and humidity. The indicators show a continuation of the long-term trends 

scientists have seen over the last 50 years, consistent with global climate 

change. According to the report the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the 

Arctic Oscillation, and other major cyclical climate patterns contributed 

to numerous significant weather events in the world, including blizzards 

in February 2010. In addition, the report showed greenhouse gas concentrations continued to rise and annual average temperatures in the Arctic 

continued to rise at about twice the rate of the lower latitudes. The State 

of the Climate series has been a trusted source of the most current and reliable information on the world’s climate and its changes since 1990. It has 

grown in scope to become a leading and highly anticipated publication. 

For the 2010 report, NCDC compiled contributions from 368 scientists 

from 45 countries. The State of the Climate Report is published as a special 

supplement in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS). 

Published in the June 2011 BAMS, the 270 page supplement was the 

longest ever.

STAR Releases Extensive Climate Change Record

Using observations from seven historical NOAA satellites, the Center 

for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) developed a 27-year data 

record of climate change in the stratosphere (the second major layer of 

Earth’s atmosphere). It is the first well-documented data record available 

to the public that is capable of determining accurate trends of stratospheric temperature change both regionally and globally. The dataset 

allows researchers to detect the rate of climate change, validate climate 

simulations, and improve forecasts of future climate change. A record 

of stratospheric temperature trends is an important indicator of global 

warming and ozone depletion and recovery. In addition, this information 

helps officials make policy decisions regarding ozone layer protections.

15

1981–2010 CLIMATE NORMALS

To learn more about the 1981–2010 Climate Normals, visit: 

www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/normals/usnormals.html
OCEANS

healthy oceans

16
17

NODC Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) celebrated 50 years of managing marine environmental and ecosystem 

data. With 29 employees, NODC opened its doors on November 1, 1960, under the United States Navy Hydrographic 

Office, ready to take on the challenge of compiling, sorting, and 

organizing the disparate collections of oceanographic data into 

a single system. This data consisted of approximately three million observations of ocean temperatures, waves, currents, and 

depths. In 1970, NODC was formally transferred from the 

U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office to the newly formed NOAA, 

under the Department of Commerce. NODC now maintains the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of 

oceanographic data with more than 86,000 archived original 

datasets and hundreds of different ocean data types.

STAR Provides Flood Imagery for Major Disasters

NOAA’s Center for Satellite Applications and Research 

(STAR) provided real-time flood maps to support emergency 

response to the March 2011 tsunami in Japan and the May 

2011 flooding in the U.S. Midwest. The STAR Geostationary 

Operational Environmental Satellite Series R land application 

team used satellite images to create a product to detect flooding and standing water. The imagery was rapidly disseminated 

to decision makers and the public to permit informed flood 

response, which involves developing plans to be prepared when 

a threatening flood approaches and monitoring active floods. 

After the flood in Japan, STAR created a flood map for the 

coast line of Sendai, Japan in a quick response to a request 

from the U.S. Government. This map was used online through 

the NOAA, NESDIS, and STAR Web sites as well as by other 

agencies including NASA. STAR also created a map of the 

levee breach near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi 

Rivers. The flood images were widely used in presentations to 

the U.S. State Department and NASA.

Signing the NCC Charter - Pictured from L-R: Changyong Cao, research physical scientist; Mary 

Kicza, assistant administrator, NOAA Satellite and Information Service, Al Powell, director, NOAA 

Center for Satellite Applications and Research

These two false colored images from the NASA Terra satellite show the Cairo, IL region on April 28, 2011 and April 29, 2010. The 

differences are stark. Blue colors indicate water, while green and brown is dry land. MODIS, the visible and infrared sensor on 

Terra, is the precursor to the visible and infrared sensors to be flown on NOAA’s future geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites, GOES-R and JPSS.

Missouri Illinois

Arkansas Tennessee

Missouri Illinois

Arkansas Tennessee

BEFORE

AFTER
COASTS

resilient coastal communities and ecosystems

18
19

NGDC Manages Data for National Project

NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) is the data management lead for a multi-agency task force created to identify the full 

extent of the U.S. continental shelf beyond the current 200 nautical mile 

Exclusive Economic Zone. In 2011, NGDC collaborated with scientists 

and data experts from several Federal agencies and academic centers to 

develop an Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Catalog Tool to track, 

integrate, and link data used in the U.S. ECS Project. This tool allows 

experts from offices in various locations to work together by viewing and 

tracking data for the seven different regional areas with potential ECS 

for the United States and will aid in generating the U.S. ECS submission 

to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.

NGDC Improves NOAA’s Forecasts of Coastal Flooding

NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) supported the 

agency’s tsunami and coastal flooding forecast and warning efforts by developing 11 high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of threatened U.S. coastal communities. NGDC’s DEMs—three dimensional 

representations of a terrain’s surface—integrate ocean seafloor and land 

topography. DEMs are essential to modeling coastal processes such as 

tsunami inundation, storm surge, sea-level rise, contaminant dispersal. 

They are also a base layer for ecosystems management and habitat research; coastal and marine spatial planning; and hazard mitigation and 

community preparedness. In addition to the new models, NGDC also 

has more than 100 high-resolution, coastal DEMs including integrated 

seafloor and land DEMs of the U.S. Virgin Islands and coastal Louisiana, as well as communities in North Carolina, Washington, Hawaii, and 

several in Alaska. NGDC has been building DEMs across the shoreline 

for more than 20 years. The center is now a leader and source of expertise for NOAA and Federal agencies concerned with coastal ecosystems, 

community resilience, and informed management. DEM’s generated by 

NGDC are used by NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory to 

forecast tsunami height and run up. Coastal states are using the DEMs 

to model coastal inundation from hypothetical events from which they 

can make inundation and evacuation maps for hazard mitigation and 

planning purposes. NGDC also developed interactive “flip book” DEM 

Catalogs of U.S. coastal areas that inform the public about the usefulness 

of digital elevation models. These flip books are available in print form, a 

downloadable PDF, or online interactive form, providing the public with 

a much more engaging format of information about the location, data, 

and motivation for the DEMs of a given region. They are a significant 

and innovative leap towards public engagement.

WALLOPS STATION IMPLEMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL 

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS) operates one of NOAA’s two 24-hour, 365-days-a-year satellite operation 

centers. NESDIS has about 90 employees and contractors at our 

Wallops facility, located about 170 miles from Washington, D.C. near 

Chincoteague, Virginia. The station cut energy costs 14 percent—

a projected savings of approximately $60,000 per year—through 

adopting a new Environmental Management System (EMS) that 

covers all of WCDAS’ activities, products, and services. Officially 

implemented on January 18, 2011, the EMS provides environmental 

planning and pollution prevention principles. WCDAS staff immediately put into effect numerous energy saving measures including 

the installation of energy-efficient chillers that provide necessary 

cooling for their satellite data center. In addition, the station began 

using energy efficient dehydrators, motion detection light switches, 

tankless water heaters, hands-free towel dispensers, and low-flow 

faucets. The system is expected to result in increased efficiency, 

cost savings, and improved relations with regulatory agencies.

Digital elevation 

model for the area 

around Mobile, 

Alabama.
Interview with

Greg Mandt

GOES-R Program Director

You have many talents and skills, how did you choose engineering as a career field?

I really enjoyed math in high school and took all the math and technical classes that were offered. My classmates even 

gave me the label “math wizard” under my senior photo in the yearbook—this is something my kids love to tease me 

about to this day! At the Air Force Academy, we had three semesters of core courses, which exposed me to every discipline. When I took my intro to engineering mechanics class—where we got to design and build things—I knew I 

found my calling and off I went.

What was your first position at NOAA and how have things changed since you first arrived?

I was hired as an engineer for the Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) in 1992. At the time, 

NESDIS seemed like a little organization with a big mission. A few experts seemed to make the whole operation work. 

I hardly realized there was more to NOAA. Bringing major pieces of NOAA together, combined with the efforts to 

integrate overall NOAA planning, has been a major change. I think most NOAA employees feel part of the larger organization more so than they did 20 years ago and they certainly understand the other components much better. NESDIS 

has a much bigger role than just operating satellites and data systems.

Who influenced you the most in your career and why?

It’s hard to say that any one person has had the most influence. I’ve had a lot of mentors whom I’ve sought out for advice and also a lot of role models to follow, both good and bad! Since NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations 

Mary Glackin recently retired, I have to say I have been thinking about how she has influenced me so I’ll talk about her. 

I worked with and for Mary in her numerous roles at the National Weather Service (NWS), NESDIS, and as NOAA’s 

Deputy Under Secretary. She has influenced me as both a positive role model and as a senior leader in NOAA. I see 

her success in her sincere personal relationships and quality professional interactions—inspiring people to do their best. 

Mary developed and maintained very positive relationships with those around her, setting the stage for leadership effectiveness. When I worked with her on difficult issues, she connected with me in a way that made me feel she fully 

respected the knowledge and experience that I have and she skillfully combined her knowledge with what I have to of20
fer. When we finished discussions, she had the ability to summarize her 

understanding of the issue and decision, ensuring that communications 

were clear and complete. I try hard to emulate these qualities. 

What were some significant turning points in your career?

My career has been full of sharp turns. I certainly couldn’t have imagined doing what I am doing now back when I was driving tractors all day 

long as a kid on the farm. Somehow I was the only one of six kids who 

went to a private catholic high school (I think my grandmother prayed 

hard on my potential religious vocation)! This gave me the rigorous 

education background needed for college. Since my family couldn’t pay 

the tuition, I did janitorial services for four years (including summers) at 

school to pay my way. I took a sharp turn and left the “priest track” to go 

to the Air Force Academy—after working so hard through high school 

I figured this was the cheap way to go! This led me to the engineering 

track I mentioned before, and I ended up doing satellite development at 

the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Space Division in Los Angeles, CA. I was 

really enjoying myself running the spacecraft development activities for 

the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) when, one day 

in 1987, I got a call from the “Executive Suite” to come talk to the General. I was so naïve that I hardly knew that there was a General! I went 

up and he talked to me about needing an executive officer. He liked 

my performance record and, after the interview, he said I was what he 

needed and asked when I could start. I said I’d have to ask my boss. He 

said, “Who does your boss work for?” Well I quickly figured out that, 

through various levels of management, my boss really worked for him. 

I changed my answer to “Right away, Sir!” So I leaped from a simple 

little project officer into a job with a bird’s eye view of a 10,000 person, 

$8 billion per year organization. From that day forward I learned the 

senior level perspective of the space business, and that set me up for the 

other senior positions I have been lucky to have over my career.

As the GOES-R Program Director, how do we ensure that the 

products/services from the satellites are meeting the needs of 

our stakeholders?

One thing I’ve learned through the years is that the operational users 

have a difficult time thinking and planning on the timescales needed 

for satellite planning. In addition, most are focused on making the best 

forecasts with what they can see and have a difficult time thinking of 

what could make it better. That means we need to work closely with 

our stakeholders and understand their problems and come up with ways 

to show how our new capabilities can improve their products and services. That is why I have been working hard with our Proving Ground 

activities to bring potential new products and services into the actual 

operational environments. We have developed proxy data sets to actually show the users what the new Geostationary Operational Environ21

Greg Mandt reflects on his career at NOAA.
mental Satellite Series R (GOES-R) data and products will look like 

so our users can learn how to most effectively improve their operations 

and we can get feedback on how we can improve our products and services for them. I feel strongly that only through this close cooperation, 

working with our users in their facilities, can we really meet the needs 

of our stakeholders.

How do we manage expectations in the current budget 

environment?

That certainly is a challenge. I think foremost we need to use our strong 

linkage with our users to ensure that the Administration and Congress 

recognize the criticality of the satellites NOAA has as part of its mission. With that said, we need to keep costs at a minimum to maintain 

continuity of the critical missions. We have kept a very close and continuous dialog going with all our stakeholders (including data users, 

NOAA management, the Presidential Administration, and Congress) 

to make sure everyone understands where things are right now, what 

options exist for moving forward, and the impacts of potential changes 

so that we avoid the “unintended consequences” of abrupt changes in 

these very complex system developments.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

As an engineer I’d like to be able to say the technical problems, but I 

can’t as I have many talented folks working those problems. The real 

challenge I face is ensuring all necessary work in this large complex 

task is being covered by someone, all the managers working the various 

pieces are on the same page with our overall strategy, and we clearly understand the interfaces between the pieces. I call this “keeping everyone 

in synch.”

You have managed satellite programs inside and outside of NESDIS. 

How are these programs similar or different across government?

I have been at NESDIS quite a few years so my USAF experience is a 

bit old. I know when I first came to NESDIS in 1992, I was stunned at 

the ad hoc nature of the way NESDIS did business. Compared to the 

big bureaucracy that was the Air Force, it seemed NESDIS just gave 

money to NASA to build the satellites and all the NESDIS activities 

were just minor adjustments to the status quo with not a lot of planning involved. Things have changed dramatically from then to the way 

we run GOES-R. We have a large systems engineering organization 

ensuring quality processes are being followed and all efforts are being 

worked—much more like my experience in the Air Force. 

What do you think will be NESDIS’s biggest challenge in the next 

five years?

The next five years represent the “peak” years for GOES-R and Joint 

Polar Satellite System development. Getting adequate funding to get 

these developments done is going to be a huge challenge. I spent many 

years in the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and on 

POES, where both programs had a long term relationship with RCA 

(a precursor company to Lockheed-Martin), and we avoided large and 

22

Greg Mandt talks to a GOES-R employee at the GOES-R Program Office.
expensive development activities using an evolutionary development 

approach. Somehow we need to get back to that more sustainable and 

affordable approach. 

What is GOES going to give us that we don’t have right now? 

Two things our users are going to notice immediately are the significantly faster scanning imager, which provides the pictures of the Western Hemisphere people are familiar with from their television weather 

forecasts, and the new Global Lightning Mapper (GLM), which will 

track every lightning event in the Western Hemisphere in near real 

time. People who are used to the beautiful hourly loops from GOES 

are going to see those same loops running at 15 minute intervals for the 

whole hemisphere and every five minutes over the contiguous United 

States. Forecasters will be able to see many more meteorological features and better integrate satellite data into their operations. I think the 

lightning mapper will have a dramatic improvement in severe weather 

warnings. Recent work on algorithms at the University of Huntsville 

using a lightning from three dimensional ground arrays (representative 

of what will be available from GOES-R) doubled tornado lead times 

and reduced false alarms by over a half. This will undoubtedly save lives 

when it is available. 

How do you define success?

The greatest success for us all is in fulfilling the Great Commandment. 

Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as 

yourself.

Tell us about a little known Greg Mandt fact...something that 

folks would be surprised to know about you?

Back in 2004, I discovered a relatively new activity called “geocaching.” Basically, participants hide caches (called geocaches) for others 

to find. The caches are typically waterproof containers with a log sheet 

and pencil in them. The person hiding the geocache determines the 

location using a GPS receiver and then posts it on the geocaching.com 

web site. The “finder” then downloads the coordinates into their GPS 

receiver and goes out looking for the item. While most of the geocaches 

are fairly easy to find, some folks have taken pleasure in creating ones 

requiring a long hike to a mountain top, solving a complicated puzzle, or 

working through multiple stages. My kids have called it a hobby where 

“middle-aged men try to frustrate each other” but I like to refer to it as 

“using a multi-billion dollar satellite system to find Tupperware in the 

woods.” 

Outside of work, what is your favorite pastime? 

Raising five kids to be loving, caring adults has certainly taken up most 

of my life outside work for the last 30 years! It seems like most of my 

adult life has been spent helping them in all their activities and efforts. 

As they’ve grown up I seem to have a little more time on my hands 

so I enjoy getting outdoors. I mentioned geocaching in the last question so I’ll add biking. Recently, after helping two of my boys earning 

the bicycle merit badge in scouts, I’ve started riding more and last year 

bought a road bike and did a 100 kilometer ride on the Eastern Shore. 

It’s flat there!

23

Greg Mandt at his desk at the GOES-R Program Office Headquarters, in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Awards

Employee of the Month 

William Pichel

Mr. Pichel has played a key role advancing the practical use of synthetic 

aperture radar (SAR) satellite data for ocean science and management. 

Mr. Pichel’s leadership as Chair of the NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Sea 

Surface Roughness Science Team and in various projects ongoing in 

STAR and NESDIS to develop ocean applications of SAR data have in 

particular led to the current efforts within NESDIS to implement two 

SAR-derived operational products: oil spill mapping and high-resolution coastal winds. 

Andrew Heidinger

Dr. Andrew Heidinger was recognized for his work with the National 

Climatic Data Center to develop new processes and procedures for climate data record software, data sets, and documentation. After years 

of work, he created an 8-terabyte data set derived from NOAA’s polar 

orbiting satellites covering the period 1978–2009, satisfying a NESDIS goal for the year. The data set, called PATMOS-x, has already 

been applied to various areas of study. For example, Dr. Heidinger and 

one of his graduate students used the PATMOS-x dust climatology to 

demonstrate that a majority of the sea surface warming in the Tropical 

Atlantic can be directly linked to a general decrease in the amount of 

dust in the atmosphere over the past 30 years. This finding, published 

in Science, added critical insight into the raging debate on the impact of 

global warming on hurricane characteristics.

2010 NOAA David Johnson Award

Lidia Cucurull

Dr. Lidia Cucurull received the 2010 NOAA David Johnson Award 

for her innovative contributions to weather prediction. Dr. Cucurull 

is a NOAA Program Scientist for GPS Radio Occultation data at the 

Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation in Suitland, MD. She 

helped develop and implement a process for incorporating data from 

Global Positioning System satellites into the National Weather Service’s weather forecasts.

American Meteorological Society’s Satellite Meteorology, 

Oceanography, and Climatology Committee Award

Gary Davis

Gary Davis, Director of the Office of Systems Development, received 

the first American Meteorological Society’s Satellite Meteorology, 

Oceanography, and Climatology Committee Award. This award recognizes outstanding career accomplishments leading to new concepts, 

research, regular operations, and practical application of satellite measurements to meteorological, oceanographic, and climatological problems. The award also recognizes Gary’s 35 years of exemplary service, 

leadership, and tireless efforts toward the development and operations 

of our Nation’s geostationary and polar-orbiting operational environmental satellites.

2010 Fellow - American Association for the Advancement 

of Science (AAAS)

Sydney Levitus 

Noted oceanographer and researcher Sydney Levitus was elected as 

a 2010 Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of 

Science (AAAS). Levitus, supervisor of the National Oceanographic 

Data Center’s Ocean Climate Laboratory, is being honored for his distinguished contributions to the field of ocean sciences, particularly in 

the area of data archaeology and the analysis of the impacts of climate 

change on the upper ocean.

Gold Medal

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

Thomas Knutson, Morris Bender, Steven Garner, Isaac Held, 

James Kossin, Christopher Landsea, Shian-Jiann Lin, Joseph 

Sirutis, and Gabriel Vecchi 

For excellence in research and data stewardship leading to a more confident assessment of the influence of human-induced climate change on 

hurricanes.

24
Silver Medal

Donald W. Hillger and Timothy J. Schmit

For revolutionizing NOAA Science Tests for geostationary satellites, 

significantly reducing the likelihood of a single satellite configuration.

Administrator’s Awards

Mark Mulholland

NESDIS and USSTRATCOM team who enabled exchange of vital 

space debris collision avoidance data with NOAA’s European mission 

partner. 

David McAdoo

For scientific excellence and international leadership in the develop-

ment of satellite-based methods for monitoring the thickness and vol-

ume of Arctic sea ice.

Doug Kluck, Thomas C. Peterson, David R. Easterling, Michael J. 

Brewer, and Jason Symonds

For support to the Interagency Working Group addressing flooding and 

development of a NOAA Decision Support System for Devils Lake.

Distinguished Career

Catherine Nichols

For her outstanding efforts ensuring accurate and timely satellite data 

processing and distribution throughout 33 years of service to NOAA.

Bruce H. Ramsay

For excellence in enhancing NOAA/NESDIS show and ice mapping 

capabilities from satellites during the past 15 years.

Peter M. Steurer

For sustained professional climate service to the Nation including cus-

tomer service, product development, data stewardship, partnerships, and 

economic studies.

25


NOAA Satellite and Information Service | U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ABADIA, ANTONIO 

ABNEY, STANLEY ABREU, MICHAEL ADAMS, 

MARY ADKINS JR, ANDREW ALLEGRA, ANDREW ALLEN, DONALD 

AMBROSE, STEPHEN AMBURGEY, KEITH ANDERS, DAWN ANDERSON, DAVID 

ANDERSON, DONNA ANDERSON, GLORIA ANDERSON, MICHAEL ANGEL, WILLIAM ANNIS III, ARTHUR 

ANSARI, STEVEN ANTHONY, CONNIE ANZELC, JIMI APPERSON, CHARLENE APPLEQUIST, SCOTT ARGUEZ, 

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CAROL AUSTIN, MATTHEW AVERSANO, GLORIA BAGLEY ARMSTRONG, DARRAH BAILEY, ALPHA BAJPAI, SHYAM BAKER, CHARLES 

BAKER, EDWARD BALDWIN, RICHARD BALLOU, JAMES BANANA, LISA BANNOURA, WALID BANZON PATRIA, VIVA BARANOVA, OLGA 

BARNET, CHRISTOPHER BARNETTE, ALVA BARRETT, ZACHARY BARTON, DANIEL BATES, JOHN BAUER, BRUCE BAUER, CARL BAYLER, ERIC 

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GOODRUM, GEOFFREY GOUDOUROS, JAMES GRAHAM, TYNA GRANO, VINCENT GRAUMANN, AXEL GRAY, CHRISTOPHER GRAY, DONALD GREEN, JANET GREEN, JOSEPH GREGG, MARGARITA GREGORY, PATRICK GRIFFIN, TRINA 

GRIFFIN, VANESSA GRIFFITH, STEVEN GRIMM, PETER GRIPPANDO, STEVEN GRISHAM III BYRON GROSS, WENDY GRUNIN, JASON GUCH, INGRID GURKA, JAMES GUTIERREZ, JOSE HABERMANN, RAY HAGGERTY, PAUL HAKKARINEN, 

IDA HALL, ALAN HALL, MARK HALL, NORMAN HAMBLIN, EDWARD HAMILTON, LAURA HAMILTON, MELANIE HAMMER, GREGORY HAMMOND, ANDRE HAMPTON, CYNTHIA HAMPTON, KARL HAN, DEJIANG HAN, DONG HAN, 

JING HAN, YONG HANNA, JAY HANSON, DEREK HARDING, TODD HARPER, ABIGAIL HASENAUER, DAVID HASTINGS, DAVID HAUGHEY, JAMES HAUSMAN, SCOTT HAY, BRENNAN HAY, HEATHER HAYES, KESHA HAYWOOD, 

KENNETH HEIDINGER, ANDREW HEILMEIER, LISA HEIM JR, RICHARD HELFRICH, SEAN HENSLEY, GRACE HERMRECK, DAVID HERNDON, RHONDA HERRIN, TAMMIE HERTZFELD, MICHELLE HEYMANN, ROGER HEYSE, CHRISTINA HILDING, 

SUZANNE HILL, BRIAN HILL, ERIC HILLENBRAND, LAURI HILLGER, DONALD HINSON, CONRAD HIRSCHFELD, OLIVER HOLLAND, CURTIS HOLLIDAY, CHRISTOPHER HOLTON JR, JAMES HORAN, KAREN HORTON, TRIVITA HOUSTON, 

TAMARA HOWARD, TIMOTHY HUANG, BOYIN HUDSPETH, PAUL HUFF, PATRICIA HUGHES, KENT HUGHES, PAMELA HUMPHRIES JR, DAVID HUMPHRIESROBINSON, BRENDA HURCOMBE, STACEY HURST, KIMBERLY HURT, LISA HUTCHINGS, 

TOBY HYATT, GLENN IGNATOV, ALEXANDER INFUSO, PAUL INGRAM, CHERYL IRVING, ANTONIO JACKSON, BRIAN JACKSON, NINA JACOBS, RUSSELL JAMES, GREGORY JAMES, LAWRENCE JAMES, RICHARD JANKOT, JOSHUA JANOSKI, 

STEPHEN JAVIER, JOSHUA JENKINS, DELONTAE JENSEN, JOHN JENSEN, MICHAEL JOCHUM, MATTHEW JOHNSON, CHERISH JOHNSON, CHERYL JOHNSON, DAPHNE JOHNSON, DENNIS JOHNSON, GREGORY JOHNSON, LATONYA JOHNSON, 

MATTIE JOHNSON, PHILLIP JOHNSON, THADDEUS JOHNSON, THELMA JONES, QUEEN JOSEPH, GREGORY JUNGBLUTH, GEORGE KALB, MICHAEL KALLURI, SATYA KAPOOR, VAISHALI KARL, CYNTHIA KARL, THOMAS KARLSON, DANIEL 

KARLSON, SHAWNA KASKE, NEAL KATZ, MARIAN KAZIOR, MARILENE KEARNS, EDWARD KEELER, CRAIG KELLY, KATHLEEN KEY, JEFFREY KHATRI, VINOD KIBLER, JAMIE KICZA, MARY KIHN, ERIC KILCOYNE, HEATHER KIM, DONGSOO 

KIM, JASON KING, BEVERLY KINKADE, DANIELLE KINSFATHER, JOHN KIOURKAS, NICOLE KLEIN, JOSEPH KLISCHER, MARY KLUCK, DOUGLAS KNAFF, JOHN KNAPP, KENNETH KNISKERN, KRISTIN KOBAR, JOHN KOENIG, CHAD KOGAN, 

FELIX KONDRAGUNTA, CHANDRA KONDRAGUNTA, SHOBHA KOSSIN, JAMES KOWAL, DANIEL KRAFT, JOSEPH KROB, JEFFREY KUHN, ANGELA KUHN, JOHN KULIGOWSKI, ROBERT KUSSELSON, SHELDON LA ROCQUE, JOHN LACKEY, 

DENNIS LANG, JOHANNA LARSEN, MARIA LASHER, BLAKE LASZLO, ISTVAN LAWRENCE, REGINALD LAWRIMORE, JAY LAWSON JR, ALEX LAYNS, ARRON LEARY, TIMOTHY LEDLOW JR, LARRY, LEULIETTE, ERIC LEVINSON, KEITH LEVITUS, 

SYDNEY LEWIS, ADRIENNE LEWIS, JAMES LI, XIAOFAN LIANG, KIRK LIDDICK, KEITH LIEF, CHRISTINA LILLIBRIDGE III, JOHN LIM, LISA LINDSEY, DANIEL LITTLE, BRIAN LOBLEIN, BRENDA LOBLEIN, ROSS LOCARNINI, RICARDO LOGAN, 

JEFFERY LOGAN, KELLY LOTT IV, JACK LOVE BROTAK, SUSAN LOVING, JOHN LUDLUM, KEVIN MA, LIQUN MACFARLAND, CHARLES MADSEN, ERIC MAHMOT, RONALD MAILHOT, DENNIS MAIZEL, LESLIE MAK, CHRISTINA MALDONY, 

MICHAEL MAMULA, DANIEL MANDT, GREGORY MANI, JOSEPH MANNS, DANIEL MANUEL, RAYVN MARKEL, ANNE MARKS, ASHBY MARKS, KAREN MARRA, JOHN MARRON, ALFRED MARTIN JR, JAMES MASON, BROOKS MASON, 

VICTORIA MATHIS JR, WILLAIM MATURI, EILEEN MAYBIN, BILLIE MCADOO, DAVID MCAULAY, GEORGE MCBRIEN, GARY MCCARTY, KIMBERLY MCCOWN, MILTON MCCULLOCH, LEWIS MCCULLOUGH, HEATHER MCGAHEE, ALVIN MCGILL, 

JOLENE MCGUIRK, MARJORIE MCINTOSH JR, VERNON MCKENZIE, KEITH MCKINLEY, ALITA MCLEAN, SUSAN MCMATH JR, ALBERT MCNAMARA, DONNA MCNEAL, KELLY MECRAY, ELLEN MEDINA, MARTIN MEHTA, AJAY MENG, HUAN 

MENNE, MATTHEW MENTZER, JAMES MENZER, FRANK MERCKLE, NANCY MESICK, SHARON METCALF, LAURA MICHAEL, ANGELA MILAN, ANNA MILANO SCHOSER, SUZETTE MILLER, DAVID MILLER, EDWARD MILLER, ERIC MILLER, 

KAREN MILLER, LAURENCE MILLS, BARRY MINEIRO, MICHAEL MITCHELL, GARY MO, TSAN MOHLER, LARRY MOLENAR, DEBRA MOORE, CARLA MOORE, DANIEL MOORE, JEANNETTE MOORE, JOHN MORAN, JOHN MORGAN, 

BEVERLY MORGAN, BONNIE MORRIS, JAMES MORRIS, JAMES MULHOLLAND, MARK MULLER, DANIEL MULLIGAN, JOSEPH MULLIGAN, PATRICIA MURPHY, MARILYN MURPHY, WILLIAM MURRAY, DERRICK MURRAY, REGINA MUSSMANN, 

JAMES NAIR, SHIJU NAUMAN, SELINA NAVE, CHERYL NEAL, JEREMY NEELY, LINDA NELSON, BRIAN NELSON, JENNIFER NELSON, RYAN NERO, TERESA NEWLIN, MICHELE NEWLON, CARL NGUYEN, VIHA NIEMIEC, JACK 

NIKLEWSKI, DAVID NOCK, WILLIAM NORRIS, TEELA NORTHROP, CLINTON NOTO, MARK NUNN, BRADLEE NYE, KIMBERLY O CHERRY, MARY O DELL, MICHAEL O’BRIEN, PATRICK O’NEAL, KASEY OCONNORS, CHRISTOPHER OGATA, 

ERIC OGATA, JEFFERSON OLSON, JON ONDRUSEK, MICHAEL OWEN, KAREN OWEN, TIMOTHY OWENS COBBLAH, JANICE PALECKI, MICHAEL PAQUETTE, JOHN PARENT, GREGG PARHAM, ANTOINETTE PARIS, CECIL PARK, FREUD 

PARKER, JAMES PARKS, MARGARET PARSONS, ARTHUR PARTAIN JR, JAMES PATTERSON II SAMUEL PAVER, CHRISTOPHER PAVOLONIS, MICHAEL PEARSALL, HERALD PEGNATO, PAUL PEJSA, JESSICA PENN, RONALD PEREIRA, 

JOHN PEREZ, JOSEPH PERKINS, MARLIN PERLROTH, JOEL PETERSON, THOMAS PETTIS, ROSEMARY PHILLIPS, ANGELA PHILLIPS, SHERI PICHEL, WILLIAM PIERCE, ROBERT PIKULA, LINDA PITTMAN, KAROL PLOTT, BRUCE 

PORCH II, MICHAEL POWELL, ALFRED POZNIAK, ALEXANDER PRENDERGAST, KELLY PRIVETTE, JEFFREY PRYOR, KENNETH PURVIS, CATRINA QI, HONGMING QUILLEN, STEVEN QUINN, CHI RADEMACHER, RONALD RAY, 

JAMES RAY, RONALD REALE, ANTHONY REDMON, ROBERT REEVES, LETECIA REICH, JESSE RELPH, JOHN RENKEVENS, THOMAS REVELL, ALAN REYNOLDS, THOMAS RICH, SHARON RICHARDSON, RASHELLE RIDDLE, 

DEBORAH RIPLEY, MARGARET RITCHEY, NANCY RIVERA, CARMELO RIVERA, DEBORA ROARK, STEPHEN ROBEL, JEFFREY ROBERTS, CURTIS ROBERTS, THOMAS ROBINSON, ALAN ROBINSON, ANGEL ROBINSON, DIANE 

ROBLIN, ROBERT ROBY, DONALD ROCHESTER, JENNIFER ROGERSON, SCOTT ROKKE, LAURIE ROSARIO, JOSE ROSIER, ERICKA ROSS, DOUGLAS ROUSE, ANTONIO ROYSTON, JOE RUDLOSKY, SCOTT RUMINSKI, MARK 

RUTLEDGE, GLENN RUTZ, STEVEN RYAN, THOMAS SALAZAR, JOSEPH SALEMI, ANTHONY SALYERS, LINDA SANCHEZ-LUGO, AHIRA SANCHEZ, PATRICIA SANDERS, MARGARET SANDIDGE, JUANITA SANNS, JOHN 

SAPPER, JOHN SAUNDERS, DREW SAUNDERS, LEESHA SAWYER, KERRY SAZAMA, CHARLOTTE SCHAEFFER, STEPHEN SCHAFFER, STEVEN SCHAFFERT, KAREN SCHENCK GARDNER, ELIZABETH SCHLEICHER JR, WALTER 

SCHMIDT, KENNETH SCHMIT, TIMOTHY SCHOTT, THOMAS SCHREIBER, JAMES SCHREITZ, RICHARD SCHWARTZ, ALAN SCOTT, TAMMY SEIDERMAN, MARK SEIDOV, DAN SEMAN, LANCE SEMUNEGUS, HILAWE 

SERAFINO, GEORGE SESSING, JANICE SETTLES, MICHAEL SEYBOLD, MATTHEW SEYMOUR, PAUL SHAI, DAPHNA SHARKEY, HUGH SHARMA, AWDHESH SHARMAN III, GEORGE SHEA, EILEEN SHEFFLER, DUSTIN 

SHEIN, KARSTEN SHIRLEY, JOSEPH SHRESTHA, MAHENDRA SILVA, HERNAN SIMKO, JOHN SIMPSON, NAAMAN SINCLAIR JR GEORGE SLACK, DONNIE SLAY, MARY SLEEPER, MARK SLUSSER, CONSTANCE 

SMILEK, RONALD SMITH DEARRING, RHAPSODY SMITH JR, THOMAS SMITH, ADAM SMITH, ALISA SMITH, DAVID SMITH, DAVID SMITH, DAVID SMITH, ELIZABETH SMITH, JONATHAN SMITH, LAKEL 

SMITH, RICHARD SMITH, THOMAS SMITH, TYSHELL SMITH, WALTER SMOLYAR, IGOR SMYLY, MARSHALL SNEAD JR ROBERT SOLOMON, NICOLE SPEIDEL, JESSE SPENCER, TERESSA SPORER, 

MICHAEL SQUIRES, MICHAEL ST PIERRE, CHADD STANCZYK, STANLEY STATHOPLOS, LINDA STATLER, LINDA STECKEL, ADAM STENGEL, ERIC STEPHENS, SCOTT STRAND, JESSE STREETT, 

DAVIDA SULLIVAN, JEREMIAH SULLIVAN, MATTHEW SUMMERS, ROBERT SUN, LEANGCHWAN SURRETT, NIKONDA SUTHERLUN, JACOB SWALLOW, DANIELLE SWANSON, GRACE SYLVESTER, 

DENISE SYMONDS, JASON TABOR, EDWARD TAI KOU, CHANG TANNER, MICHAEL TARVER, KENDRA TAYLOR, GRETCHEN TAYLOR, KELVIN TAYLOR, LISA TAYLOR, PAMELA TERRY, 

GENE TERRY, ROE THEBERGE JR, ALBERT THOMAS, ADRIENNE THOMAS, JOHN THORNTON, JOSEPH TIELKING, TERRANCE TILLMAN, ARLA TODIRITA, MONICA TODIRITA, NICOLAIE 

TOMLINSON, MICHAEL TRUITT, NORWOOD TSUI YO, KUNG TUCKER, JAUVONNE TURK, MICHAEL TURNER, KELLY TURNER, KEVIN TWITTY, ANTHONY UNDERHILL, ERIC 

URBANSKI, DAVID URZEN, MICHAEL VALENTI, JAMES VALENZUELA, MANUEL VAN LANGEN, KENNETH VARGAS, MARCO VEASEY, SARA VICENTE, GILBERTO VINCENT, 

KATY VIZBULIS, FREDERICK VOSE, RUSSELL VOSS, BRIAN VOYLES, JOYCE VYAS, SUDHIR WADE, ANGELO WADE, CRAIG WADE, GARY WAHL, EUGENE WALKER, 

LEESALEE WALKER, YATANA WALL, JANET WALLACE, CAROL WALLACE, STEVEN WALLING, BRIAN WALSH, TIMOTHY WALTERS, STEPHEN WANG, MENGHUA 

WARD, RODNEY WARDRETT, ANDREW WARNICK, BARBARA WARNKEN, ROBIN WARREN, CHRISTOPHER WARREN, DANETTE WARREN, MICHAEL WEIR, 

PATRICIA WENG, FUZHONG WHALEY, PHILIP WHEELER, CHRISTOPHER WHITE IV JOSEPH WHITELEY, HARRY WILCZYNSKI, PETER WILDS, TROY 

WILKINS, BRENDA WILKINSON, CHARIS WILKINSON, DANIEL WILLIAMS JR, CLAUDE WILLIAMS, ALEXANDER WILLIAMS, KEVIN WILLIAMS, 

LINDSEY WILLIAMS, MARIA WILLIAMS, STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, TYRONE WINSTEAD, MICHELLE WISE, NATHANAEL WITCHER, RICHARD 

WOLDU, VERNELL WOLF, WALTER WOOD, HELEN WOODS, LENORA WOOLDRIDGE, CHARLES WORMAN, RUSSELL WRIGHT, 

VICKIE WRUBLEWSKI, THOMAS WU, XIANGQIAN WU, ZHONG WUERTZ, DAVID WYATT, KANDIS XIA SERAFINO, 

WEI YAN, BANGHUA YAPUR, MARTIN YATES, LAILA YOUNG, ALISA YOUNG, SHAROLYN YU, 

YUNYUE ZEGALIA, STEVEN ZEHR, DAVID ZEILER, TRACY ZEKRI, MEHDI ZHAN, XIWU 

ZHANG, HUAI MIN ZHAO, LIMIN ZHAO, XUEPENG ZHOU, LIHANG ZOU, 

CHENG ZWENG, MELISSA