2010 annual report

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Earth Science Technology Office
Executive Summary

As reported in the pages that follow, fiscal year 2010 (FY10) has been another productive year for NASA 

Earth science technology development. Recent activities within the Earth Science Technology 

Office (ESTO) have centered on guidance provided by the first-ever Decadal Survey for Earth science – 

“Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond” by the 

National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies – and by the NASA plan for climate-centric 

observations and applications: “Responding to the Challenge of Climate and Environmental Change.”

At the release of the Decadal Survey in 2007, we were pleased to note that existing ESTO investments 

already applied directly to the 18 recommended mission concepts. Since 2007, more than 60 new technologies have been added to the portfolio to further address the requirements and measurement goals 

of the Decadal Survey. Many of these technologies are maturing to the point that they are ready to make 

significant contributions to the Decadal Survey missions.

New technology investments are also on their way: the Instrument Incubator Program is on track to

announce a new set of awards in early FY11 and solicitations are expected soon for both the Advanced 

Component Technologies program and the Advanced Information Systems Technology Program.

ESTO also continues to build upon a strong history of technology development and infusion. In FY10, 

37% of active ESTO technology projects advanced at least one Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and 

many projects have achieved actual infusion into science measurements, system demonstrations, or 

other applications. Of the over 535 completed projects in the ESTO portfolio 36% have already been 

infused and an additional 44% have a path identified for future infusion. 

We are proud of the contributions that our principal investigators make for the future of Earth science 

and we look forward to another year of continued innovation in FY11.

George J. Komar, Program Director Robert Bauer, Deputy Program Director

i

On the Cover (top to bottom):

• Earth Observing-1 satellite image of the 2009 Red River flooding near Fargo, ND, and Moorhead, MN, made possible, 

in part, by the activation of the SensorWeb 3G technology (see page 12) - image credit: The Earth Observatory

• Detail of the molded, central core for a corrugated mirror (see page 14) - image credit: ITT Geospatial Systems

• The NASA ER-2 aircraft with the AirMSPI camera onboard (see page 10) - Image Credit: Jet Propulsion Lab

• Long Beach, CA, as seen by the AirMSPI camera (see page 10) - Image Credit: Jet Propulsion Lab

• A hyperspectral imager under development to meet the goals of the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity 

Observatory (CLARREO) mission (see pages 7-8) - image credit: Greg Kopp, University of Colorado

• The uplooking input of the INFLAME instrument (see pages 7-8) poking through a wing tip tank port on a LearJet 

aircraft - image credit: Marty Mlynczak, NASA Langley Research Center

• Return signal of controlled laser shots from the Electronically Steerable Flash Lidar (see page 5) - image credit: 

Carl Weimer, Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp

• Detail of a radiometer receiver module for use in an ocean altimetry mission, such as the Surface Water and Ocean 

Topography Decadal Survey Mission (see page 13) - image credit: D. Albers and A. Lee, Colorado State University

Contents About ESTO •••••••••••••• 1 - 2

2010 Metrics •••••••••••••• 3 - 5

Special Section:

 Chasing Hurricanes with the GRIP Campaign • 6

Special Section:

Technologies Enabling CLARREO •••••••• 7 - 8

2009 in Review:

 - Instruments •••••••••••••• 9 - 10

 - Information Systems •••••••••••••• 11 - 12

 - Components •••••••••••••• 13 - 14

Future Challenges •••••••••••••• 15

Additional Resources •••••••••••••• 16
1 2

About ESTO

As the technology function within the 

Earth Science Division of the NASA 

Science Mission Directorate, the Earth 

Science Technology Office (ESTO) performs strategic technology planning 

and manages the development of a 

range of advanced technologies for 

future science measurements and 

operational requirements. ESTO technology investments attempt to address 

the full science measurement process: 

from the instruments and platforms 

needed to make observations to the 

data systems and information products 

that make those observations useful.

ESTO applies a rigorous approach to 

technology development:

• Planning technology investments 

through comprehensive analyses of 

science requirements

• Selecting and funding technologies 

through competitive solicitations and 

partnership opportunities

• Actively managing funded technology 

development projects

• Facilitating the infusion of mature 

technologies into science campaigns 

and missions. 

ESTO employs an open, flexible, 

science-driven strategy that relies on 

competitive, peer-reviewed solicitations 

to produce the best cutting-edge technologies. In some cases, investments 

are leveraged through partnerships to 

mitigate financial risk and to create a 

broader audience for technology 

infusion. 

The results speak for themselves: a 

broad portfolio of over 600 emerging 

technologies (active and completed) 

ready to enable and/or enhance future 

science measurements as well as an 

ever-growing number of infusion 

successes.

From instruments 

to data access, 

ESTO technologies enable a full 

range of scientific 

measurements

ESTO’s nearly 400 current principal investigators 

(PIs), co-investigators (Co-Is), and partners 

represent a diverse set of institutions – see graph at 

right. Over the past decade, ESTO PIs and Co-Is have 

performed technology development and research in 

nearly every state and the District of Columbia. 

ESTO Investigators

NASA Centers,

27%

Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, 29%

Academia, 27%

Industry

14%

Federal Labs,

3%

Student Participation

In 2010 alone, ESTO-funded projects supported over 125 

students from more than 30 institutions. About half are pursuing

doctorates while others are working toward masters or undergraduate degrees.

The 2010 Earth Science Technology Forum (ESTF2010) was held June 

22-24 in Arlington, VA. This annual event showcases the wide array of 

technology research and development related to NASA Earth science 

endeavors. Total registration in 2010 was well over 200 and plenary talks 

were given by Michael Freilich, Director of the NASA Earth Science 

Division, and Robert Braun, NASA’s Chief Technologist. Full proceedings 

are available at the ESTO website at: esto.nasa.gov/events.html

The 2010 Technology Forum

Images Courtesy Mahta Moghaddam, University of Michigan
3 4

With more than 535 completed technology investments and a current, 

active portfolio of nearly 70 projects, ESTO is driving innovation, 

enabling future Earth science measurements, and strengthening 

NASA’s reputation for developing and advancing leading-edge 

technologies.

How did ESTO do this year? Here are a few of our successes for fiscal 

year 2010 (FY10), tied to NASA’s performance goals for ESTO:

GOAL: 

Annually advance 25% of currently funded technology projects at least one 

Technology Readiness Level (TRL). 

FY10 RESULT: 

37% of ESTO technology projects which were funded during FY10 advanced one or 

more TRL over the course of the fiscal year, about the annual average for the ESTO 

portfolio. Nearly 7% of the FY10 projects advanced two or more TRL levels. See the 

graph below for yearly comparisons. [Note: because of the variable periodicity of 

solicitations and other factors, any apparent multi-year trends are not meaningful]

 

ESTO’s Infusion 

Success - drawn from 

over 535 completed 

projects through FY10

Each dot 

represents one of 

the over 600 

projects (active and 

completed) in the 

ESTO portfolio. 

Percentage of 

Active Projects 

that Advanced 

at Least 1 TRL 

during each 

Fiscal Year (FY)

0%

25% Goal

Fiscal Year

FY99 FY00 FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07

26%

41%

35%

52%

39%

28%

39%

36%

41%

46%

FY08

53%

FY09

GOAL: 

Mature two to three technologies to the point where they can be demonstrated in 

space or in a relevant operational environment.

FY10 RESULT:

Many ESTO projects achieved infusion into space missions or airborne

science campaigns in FY10. A few notable examples:

 

- Several ESTO technologies were infused in the NASA Genesis and Rapid Intensification Process (GRIP) experiment, a six week airborne campaign to study

hurricanes. These projects include: the Doppler Aerosol WiNd lidar (Principal 

Investigator (PI): M. Kavaya, NASA Langley Research Center), the High-Altitude 

Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (PI: G. Heymsfield, NASA Goddard 

Space Flight Center), and the The Real Time Mission Monitor (PI: M. Goodman, 

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center). See page 6 to learn more about ESTO technologies in the airborne GRIP campaign.

- In 2010, the Sensor-Analysis-Model Interoperability Technology Suite 

(SAMITS) – a set of information system technologies for accessing, processing, 

and analyzing data based on distributed services and web service standards 

– was used in the design and development of the Atmospheric Composition 

Portal, an online tool of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites that 

provides access to atmospheric composition data. (PI: S. Falke, Northrop 

Grumman Corp.)

- SensorWeb 3G (featured on page 12) was used to develop the 

Namibian Flood SensorWeb Early Warning pilot project, an international partnership between NASA, UN-Spider, the Namibia 

Department of Hydrology, the Canadian Space Agency, the 

Ukraine Space Research Institute, DRL (Germany), and others. 

The project provides near-real-time data and forecasts on flood 

risk as well as on the potential for water borne disease outbreaks. 

(PI: D. Mandl, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center).

FY10

37%

2010 Metrics
For six weeks beginning in August 2010, NASA’s Genesis and Rapid 

Intensification Process (GRIP) field campaign sent three aircraft – 

a Global Hawk UAV, a DC-8, and a WB-57F – and numerous 

instruments on a series of flights to study tropical cyclones and 

the processes that lead to the creation and intensification of 

hurricanes. The measurements they took provided an unprecedented, sustained look at hurricane formation and development. 

Several of the GRIP instruments were developed with ESTO funding:

5 6

2010 Metrics Continued

Above: the ESFL optical head.

Below: ESFL data taken over the 

USDA Manitou Experimental Forest 

in Colorado. (Images courtesy Carl 

Weimer)

Above, one of the two INFLAME 

instruments is mounted in the wing 

tip tank of the Learjet aircraft. 

(Image courtesy Marty Mlynczak)

GOAL: Enable a new science measurement capability or significantly improve the performance of an 

existing technique.

FY10 RESULT: Several ESTO projects satisfied this goal for FY10. Here are two notable examples:

- The In-Situ Net FLux within the AtMosphere of the Earth 

(INFLAME) project successfully completed a groundbreaking demonstration flight in January on a Learjet out of Newport News, VA. 

The INFLAME instruments are Michelson interferometers designed 

to directly measure the net flux of visible and infrared radiation 

within the atmosphere – the difference between upwelling and 

downwelling radiation. Net flux measurements are difficult to 

make, but they are critical to understanding radiation processes 

that are central to climate studies. INFLAME may be used for 

calibration and validation measurements for the Climate Absolute 

Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Decadal Survey 

mission. (PI: M. Mlynczak, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC))

- The Electronically Steerable Flash LIDAR (ESFL) demonstrated 

its capacity for improved vegetation measurements on a series 

of airborne test flights. Using a single laser to create multiple 

beams, the ESFL system can instantaneously sample numerous 

cross-track ground footprints. This approach provides a traditional intensity measurement combined with a range (distance) 

measurement to produce a 3-dimensional view of vegetation that 

shows height, density, and shape. The multiple beams are also 

independently controllable and steerable for a variety of footprint 

coverage options. (PI: C. Weimer, Ball Aerospace Corporation)

Chasing Hurricanes: ESTO Technologies Support 2010 GRIP Campaign

- The Doppler Aerosol WiNd lidar (DAWN) is a 2-micron doppler lidar that can take 

vertical profiles of vectored horizontal winds. DAWN 

flew on NASA’s DC-8 aircraft. (PI: M. Kavaya, NASA LaRC)

- The Airborne Second Generation Precipitation Radar (APR-2), 

which also flew on the DC-8, is an advanced radar system that obtained the first-ever simultaneous 

measurements of rain intensity and fall velocity profiles during the 4th Convection and Moisture 

Experiment in 2001. (PI: E. Im, Jet Propulsion Lab)

- The High Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR), which flew on a NASA Global Hawk UAV, 

is a microwave atmospheric sounder that provides measurements used 

to infer the 3-D distribution of temperature, water vapor, and liquid 

water in the atmosphere. (PI: B. Lambrigsten, Jet Propulsion Lab)

- Also on the Global Hawk, the High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP)

is a dual-frequency doppler radar capable of measuring tropospheric winds within precipitation 

regions, as well as ocean surface winds. (PI: G. Heymsfield, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Another GRIP instrument – the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer instrument on board the NASA WB-57 

– incorporated a groundbreaking ESTO subsystem technology: the Agile Digital Detector (ADD) for 

Radio Frequency Interference. ADD helps produce clearer microwave measurements, particularly 

over areas where wireless signals tend to crowd the 

spectrum. (PI: C. Ruf, University of Michigan)

GRIP also utilized a novel mission-monitoring tool funded by ESTO: The Real Time Mission Monitor 

(RTMM) integrates data sets, weather information, vehicle operations data, and model and forecast 

outputs to help manage field experiments. RTMM optimized decision making for GRIP by presenting 

timely data and visualizations and improving real-time situational awareness of the assets. (PI: M. 

Goodman, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center)
7 8

Enabling CLARREO

10 Years of Technology Investments for Radiation Budget Measurements

In 2017, NASA plans to launch the first in a series of satellites that will comprise the Climate 

Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) mission. CLARREO will measure 

the amount of energy entering and leaving the atmosphere – Earth’s radiation budget – more 

accurately than ever before, providing a reliable benchmark for the climate record going 

forward and improving climate prediction and modelling. 

For nearly a decade, ESTO projects have pursued the technologies needed for radiation 

budget measurements. In many ways, the early technology projects enabled the designation 

of CLARREO as a mission concept in 2007. Below is a timeline of ESTO technology 

investments related to radiation measurements, including recent awards focused more 

specifically for CLARREO, with highlights of key projects. 

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Decadal 

Survey 

Released

Instruments Components Information Systems

The Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of the Troposphere (FIRST)

instrument, an early airborne precursor to CLARREO, was 

demonstrated in 2005 on a high-altitude research balloon (left) and 

provided the first-ever high resolution measurement of the complete 

infrared emission spectrum of the Earth, including the key far-infrared 

region from 15 to 100 microns that contains over 50% of Earth’s longwave radiation. More recently, FIRST was installed at 17,500 ft atop 

the Cerro Toco Plateau in Chile as part of the Atmospheric Radiation 

Measurement Program’s Radiative Heating in Underexplored Bands 

Campaign - II (RHUBC-II), funded by the Department of Energy. 

(PI: M. Mlynczak, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC))

The In-Situ Net FLux within the AtMosphere of the 

Earth (INFLAME) project has developed an airborne 

Fourier Transform Spectrometer that can directly 

measure the difference between upwelling and downwelling radiation – the net radiation flux – in the lower 

atmosphere. INFLAME was installed in the wingtip tanks 

of a LearJet (shown left) and successfully demonstrated 

in 2010. As an airborne instrument, INFLAME may 

provide critically needed calibration/validation data for 

the CLARREO mission. (PI: M. Mlynczak, NASA LaRC)

The Advanced Accuracy Satellite 

Instrumentation for the CLARREO 

Mission project seeks to develop 

and test several key calibration 

subsystems, such as temperature 

calibration for the blackbody cavity 

shown at left, dual absolute 

radiance interferometers, and an 

emissivity module. (PI: H. Revercomb, 

University of Wisconsin)

The CLARREO mission proposes to

use phase change reference standards 

(melt cells) to recalibrate its on-board 

temperature sensors; but these cells 

have never been tested in space. In 

2011, this project will conduct Thermal Phase Change Cell Demonstrations Onboard the International 

Space Station (ISS) and achieve inspace testing of two melt cell designs. 

(PI: M. Mlynczak, NASA LaRC)

Another project is designing and building a 

Hyperspectral Imager to Meet CLARREO 

Goals of High Absolute Accuracy and OnOrbit SI Traceability (left) as well as investigating attenuation methods and validating 

the solar cross-calibration approach for the 

CLARREO Mission concept. (PI: G. Kopp, 

University of Colorado LASP)

Geostationary Imaging Fabry-Perot Spectrometer (GIFS)

Far-Infrared Detector Technology Advancement Partnering (FIDTAP)

FIREBIB - High Performance Far-IR Detectors

Mining Massive Data Sets for Climate Forecast Models Coupling Weather Modeling and Visualization

The Sensor Web Operations Explorer (SOX)

is a comprehensive sensor web simulator that 

helps explore various observations scenarios, 

measurement qualities, and science impacts 

well in advance of mission development. SOX 

is currently being used to study a variety of 

mission concepts and the CLARREO mission 

plans to utilize SOX to explore overall mission 

design as well as to provide virtual observations to evaluate climate model uncertainties. 

(PI: M. Lee, Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

Cloud Detection Algorithms

In-Situ Net FLux within the AtMosphere of the Earth (INFLAME)

Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of the Troposphere (FIRST)

Sensor Web Operations Explorer (SOX)

Phase Change Cell Demonstration

Hyperspectral Imager for CLARREO

Advanced Accuracy Satellite Instrumentation for CLARREO

The Calibrated Observations of 

Radiance Spectra from the Atmosphere 

in the far-InfraRed (CORSAIR) project is 

developing a set of technologies central 

to CLARREO: infrared detector elements, 

blackbody radiance standards, and robust 

optical beamsplitters with continuous high 

efficiency over the full spectral range. 

(PI: M. Mlynczak, NASA LaRC)

Visit the ESTO website - esto.nasa.gov - to browse a series of interactive charts that show how 

ESTO investments are enabling all 18 of the Decadal Survey mission concepts. 

CORSAIR - Calibrated Observations of Radiance Spectra
• Advancement of Optical Component Control for 

Imaging Spectrometers - A. Larar, NASA Langley 

Research Center (LaRC)

• Strategic Investments toward Lidar Detectors for 

ACE - C. Hostetler, NASA LaRC

• Risk Reduction of CO Column Observation Sensor 

for ASCENDS - W. Cook, NASA LaRC

• Pathfinder Advanced Radar Ice Sounder (PARIS) 

- K. Raney, Johns Hopkins University Applied 

Physics Lab

• A High-Repetition, Rate-Seeded Optical Fiber 

Amplifier (SOFiA) for the LIST Mission and Satellite 

Laser Ranging - B. Coyle, NASA Goddard Space Flight 

Center (GSFC)

• VADER: A Systems Level Approach for DESDynI’s 

Advanced Laser Architecture Development 

- B. Coyle, NASA GSFC

• 885 nm Diode Pumped Ceramic Nd:YAG Single 

Frequency Laser Transmitter - A. Yu, NASA GSFC

• A Deployable 4 Meter 180 to 680 GHz Antenna for 

SMLS - R. Cofield, Jet Propulsion Lab

• Technology Development for a Combined High 

Spectral Resolution and Ozone Differential 

Absorption Lidar - C. Hostetler, NASA LaRC

• In-situ Net Flux Within the Atmosphere of the Earth 

(INFLAME) - M. Mlynczak, NASA LaRC

• High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne 

Profiler (HIWRAP) - G. Heymsfield, NASA GSFC

• Ground Based CO2 Profiling by 2-micron Coherent 

DIAL Technique - J. Yu, NASA LaRC

9 10

SPOTLIGHT: A Novel Camera for Atmospheric Aerosol Detection

Above, the NASA ER-2 with the AirMSPI 

camera in the forward payload bay, 

just under the nose of the aircraft. 

(Image Credit: Jet Propulsion Lab)

2010 in Review: Instruments

The Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) provides funding for new instrument and observation techniques, from concept development through breadboard and flight demonstrations. Instrument technology development of this scale outside of a flight project consistently leads to smaller, less resource 

intensive, and easier to build flight instruments. Furthermore, developing and validating these technologies before mission development improves their acceptance and infusion by mission planners and 

significantly reduces costs and schedule uncertainties.

The program included 35 active projects in FY10 and more will be added in early FY11. A competitive 

solicitation for IIP awards was released in February 2010 as part of the NASA Research Opportunities in 

Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) research announcement. 

The 2010 solicitation broadly sought instrument technologies to enable and achieve the mission 

concepts outlined in the NRC Decadal Survey as well as innovative instrument approaches that support 

other compelling Earth Science measurements. 

12 projects graduated from funding in FY10 and, of these, 8 advanced at least 1 TRL during the course 

of funding. The FY10 graduates are as follows:

Instruments

In early October 2010, an airborne prototype of the Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (MSPI) flew on a successful 

two-hour ‘checkout’ flight over southern California. MSPI, a 

candidate instrument for the Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystems (ACE) 

Decadal Survey mission, uses a novel polarimetric imaging 

Above, the NASA P-3 aircraft readies for a test 

flight of the Pathfinder Advanced Radar Ice 

Sounder (PARIS) over the Greenland ice sheet 

in May 2007. PARIS went on to provide the first 

field demonstration of radar sounding of both 

ice sheet layering and basal (bottom) topography 

from an airborne platform. In 2009, PARIS was 

tapped to join several other instruments in the 

NASA Ice Bridge campaign, a six-year airborne 

survey of Earth’s polar ice. (Image Credit and PI: 

Keith Raney, Applied Physics Laboratory)

camera to detect aerosols in the atmosphere. MSPI could also be used to directly study clouds as well as 

surface features.

The impact that aerosols have on clouds is one of the largest unknowns in the study of global climate 

change. Aerosols can affect cloud formation and the amount of rain and snow produced. They can also 

make clouds brighter and more reflective, so that less sunlight reaches the Earth. 

The aerosol detection technique used by MSPI, and its airborne prototype (AirMSPI) built under the 

NASA Airborne Instrument Technology Transition Program, was developed with IIP funding (PI: D. 

Diner, Jet Propulsion Lab) and finds heritage in several other IIP-funded tasks. AirMSPI uses eight 

spectral bands, three of them polarimetric, to distinguish light scattered by aerosols in the atmosphere 

from light reflected by the Earth’s surface. The camera is also mounted in a rotating drum to provide a 

multi-angle view. 

Additional test flights of the AirMSPI are expected in FY11.

The image at right, acquired by AirMSPI on its first 

test flight, combines the blue, green, and red spectral 

bands to give the ‘natural’ effect of light reflected off 

the surface. Note this image is not corrected for aircraft 

altitude fluctuations, which give a wavering appearance 

to surface features. (Image Credit: Jet Propulsion Lab)
Information Systems 

2010 in Review: Information Systems

Advanced information systems play a critical role in the 

collection, handling, and management of large amounts of 

Earth science data, in space and on the ground. Advanced 

computing and transmission concepts that permit the 

dissemination and management of terabytes of data are 

essential to NASA’s vision of a virtually unified observational 

network. ESTO’s Advanced Information Systems Technology 

(AIST) program employs an end-to-end approach to evolve 

these critical technologies – from the space segment, where 

the information pipeline begins, to the end user, where 

knowledge is advanced.

The AIST program held 37 active investments in FY10, 16 of 

which graduated from ESTO funding. All of the FY10 graduates advanced at least one TRL over their course of funding 

and half of them advanced three or more TRL levels. The 

graduates are as follows: 

• Reconfigurable Sensor Networks for Fault-Tolerant In-Situ 

Sampling - A. Howard, Georgia Tech Research Corp

• Secure, Autonomous Controller for Integrating Distributed 

Sensor Webs -W. Ivancic, NASA Glenn Research Center

• Harnessing the Sensor Web through Model-based Observation 

- R. Morris, NASA Ames Research Center

• An Adaptive, Negotiating Multi-Agent System for Sensor Webs 

- C. Tsatsoulis, University of North Texas

• A Smart Sensor Web for Ocean Observation: System Design, 

Modeling, and Optimization - P. Arabshahi, University of 

Washington

• An Objectively Optimized Sensor Web - D. Lary, University of 

Maryland, Baltimore County

• Soil Moisture Smart Sensor Web Using Data Assimilation and 

Optimal Control - M. Moghaddam, University of Michigan

11

This field near Canton, Oklahoma, is the site 

of a new, “smart” sensor web called SoilSCAPE 

that measures soil moisture at various depths 

at over 20 locations. Installed in early August 

2010, SoilSCAPE can adaptively sample soil 

moisture and control its own duty-cycle based 

on feedback of local conditions. In addition 

to demonstrating sensor web technology, the 

system’s intended use is to validate measurements taken by airborne and spaceborne soil 

moisture sensors, including potentially those 

of the Soil Moisture Active-Passive (SMAP) 

Decadal Survey mission. (Image Credit and PI: 

Mahta Moghaddam, University of Michigan)

12

SensorWeb 3G – an ongoing AIST project that couples satellite, airborne, UAV, and in-situ sensors with 

science models and advanced software – is proving the value of fully integrated, real-time Earth observations and providing a glimpse of how future Earth science systems might function. It is also producing a host of pilot projects and applications that are being used today for societal benefit. 

SPOTLIGHT: Sensor Web Project Generating Interest and Benefiting Society

On March 24, 2010, the Advanced 

Land Imager on board NASA’s EO-1 

satellite captured this clear, cloudfree image of the eruption of Iceland’s 

Eyjafjallajökull volcano. This near 

real-time data acquisition of the flood 

was made possible, in part, by the 

activation of the SensorWeb 3G 

technology in response to a manual 

request. (Image Credit: NASA Earth 

Observatory; PI: D. Mandl, NASA 

Goddard Space Flight Center)

• Sensor Web Dynamic Replanning - S. Kolitz, Draper Laboratory

• A General Framework and System Prototypes for the Self-Adaptive Earth Predictive Systems (SEPS) - L. Di, 

George Mason University

• Implementation Issues and Validation of SIGMA in Space Network Environment - M. Atiquzzaman, University of Oklahoma

• Efficient Sensor Web Communication Strategies Based on Jointly Optimized Distributed Wavelet Transform 

and Routing - A. Ortega, University of Southern California

• Optimized Autonomous Space - In-situ Sensorweb - W. Song, Washington State University

• The Multi-agent Architecture for Coordinated, Responsive Observations - D. Suri, Lockheed Martin Space 

Systems Company

• End-to-End Design and Objective Evaluation of Sensor Web Modeling and Data Assimilation System 

Architectures - M. Seablom, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

• Sensor-Analysis-Model Interoperability Technology Suite (SAMITS) - S. Falke, Northrop Grumman IT

• Semantically-Enabled Scientific Data Integration - P. Fox, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

AIST plans to release a new solicitation in FY11 to further address requirements of the Decadal Survey 

mission concepts, as well as other scientific and societal needs. 

SensorWeb 3G demonstrates rapid, low cost ways to network 

and control various sensors and instruments into ‘webs’ that 

combine the multiple observations with models to give a more 

complete view of real-time situations. These sensor webs 

enable autonomous triggering of observations from space, 

airborne, and in-situ instruments in response to unfolding 

events. In particular, NASA’s Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) 

satellite is being used to prototype many of these capabilities. 

In turn, Sensor Web 3G is effectively automating EO-1 

observations and the EO-1 mission. 

Over the past several years, the project prototyped various 

capabilities in demonstration mode and provided valuable 

satellite imagery to first-responders or post-event analysts 

for numerous natural and man-made disasters: the Station

 Fire in California, Australian fires and floods, the Red River 

flood, the Samoa tsunami, mudslides in Honduras and 

Guatemala, the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (see 

image at left), and Hurricane Jimena in Baja Mexico.

The project team is participating in a variety of natural 

hazard programs, pilot projects, and workshops around 

the world to further infuse the SensorWeb 3G concept into 

regional and continental disaster management systems. For 

example, they are working with numerous international and 

domestic partners to build the Namibian Early Warning Flood 

SensorWeb, the Caribbean Satellite Disaster pilot project, and 

the Fire SensorWeb pilot project. They are also developing a 

concept for a Disease SensorWeb, which could trigger early 

warning for diseases, such as malaria, based on changing 

vegetation and environmental conditions.
Above, a side view of a 

0.5m mirror and, right, 

detail of the 3-layer 

front face sheet.

Mirrored telescope arrays 

are critical components for 

future Lidar and passive 

Earth science missions. The 

conventional manufacturing 

processes used to fabricate 

these kinds of large (greater 

than 0.5m) and lightweight 

(5 to 50Kg per square 

meter) are often measured 

13 14

2010 in Review: Components

The Advanced Component Technology (ACT) program leads research, development, and testing of 

component- and subsystem-level technologies for future state-of-the-art Earth science instruments and 

instrument systems. The ACT program focuses on projects that reduce risk, cost, size, mass, and 

development time of technologies to enable their eventual infusion into missions.

In FY10, the ACT program portfolio held a total of 18 investments. More projects will be added to 

the portfolio in FY11-FY12 as the ACT program plans to release a new solicitation to address future 

requirements. One component technology graduated from funding this year – A Low Cost, Ultra-Lightweight, Optically Fast f/1.2, Corrugated Mirror Telescope Array for Lidar and Passive Earth Science Missions, 

R. Egerman, ITT Geospatial Systems – and is featured on the opposing page. 

Space-borne ocean altimeters, which measure the height of Earth’s oceans, are not effective when water 

vapor is present in the troposphere. To get around this problem, the altimeters are partnered with 

microwave radiometers, typically in the 18-37 GHz range, that detect and quantify the effect of water 

vapor on the altimeter signal. Even so, altimetry measurements remain heavily compromised near the 

coast and over land. Above is a multi-chip radiometer receiver module, developed with ACT funding, 

that incorporates a higher frequency (92 GHz) to help improve retrievals in coastal regions and enable 

retrievals over land – key requirements for the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Decadal 

Survey mission concept. (Image Credit: D. Albers and A. Lee, Colorado State University; PI: S. Reising, 

Colorado State University)

Components

SPOTLIGHT: A New, Lightweight Approach for Mirror Telescope Arrays

in months to years and millions of dollars. This ACT project 

(PI: R. Egerman, ITT Geospatial Systems) demonstrated a 

new approach to mirror fabrication using borosilicate, an 

inexpensive and easy-to-work glass to develop new mirror 

designs. 

The manufacturing process involves fusing together a stiff, 

lightweight, 3-layer face sheet, a molded corrugated core 

layer, and a molded back face sheet at high temperature. 

The corrugated core adds depth and provides excellent 

stiffness-to-weight to the finished mirror. The 3-layer 

construction of the face sheet also reduces mass by up to 

70% over conventional methods while maintaining stiffness.

The process uses a fraction of the time and cost of more 

traditional mirrors as well. The project team selected a 

readily available, commercial sheet glass material commonly 

used for flat panel televisions and displays. The molding 

and fusing process is readily repeatable and could easily be 

scaled up for high volume manufacturing.

By the end of the funding period, the project team had 

fabricated seven 0.5m corrugated mirror blanks with a 

1.95m radius of curvature, two of which were polished. They 

also developed a mount concept. Corrugated mirrors of this 

kind may prove suitable for use by the ASCENDS Decadal 

Survey mission, as well as by other missions where mirror 

telescope arrays are required.

Above, the molded, central core for a 

corrugated mirror. This layer gives the 

mirror its depth and provides stiffness 

while reducing weight. 

Above, one of the 0.5m mirrors shown 

with a spray-silver coating after final 

polishing and ion figuring. (All images 

courtesy ITT Geospatial Systems) 
Future Challenges

Active Remote Sensing Technologies to enable measurements of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere.

• Atmospheric chemistry using lidar vertical profiles

• Ice cap, glacier, sea ice, and snow characterization using radar and lidar

• Tropospheric vector winds using lidar

For over a decade, ESTO investments have been reducing the technology risk for nearly all the measurements recommended by the Decadal Survey. This is a testament to ESTO’s best practices for technology 

development: competitive, peer-reviewed solicitations; active technology management; and broadbased, inclusive strategic planning. ESTO continues to monitor, and match investments to, the evolving 

needs of Earth science through engagement with the science community, development of technology 

requirements, and strategic planning for long-term investments.

In addition to the science measurement goals established by the NRC Decadal Survey and other 

strategic planning documents, ESTO has identified four broad areas that have the capacity to expand 

and support a multitude of Earth science disciplines:

15

Large Deployable Apertures to enable future weather, climate, and natural

hazards measurements.

• Temperature, water vapor, and precipitation from geostationary orbit

• Soil moisture and sea surface salinity using L-band

• Surface deformation and vegetation using radar

Intelligent Distributed Systems using advanced communication, on-board 

radiation-tolerant reprogrammable processors, autonomous operations and 

network control, data compression, high density storage.

• Long-term weather and climate prediction linking observations to models

• Interconnected sensor webs that share information to enhance observations

Information Knowledge Capture through novel visualizations, memory and 

storage advances, and seamlessly linked models. 

• Intelligent data fusion to merge multi-mission data

• Discovery tools to extract knowledge from large and complex data sets

• Real time science processing, archiving, and distribution of user products to 

drive decision support systems

Additional Resources

16

A wealth of additional information is available online at the ESTO website: esto.nasa.gov

Information about 

ESTO solicitations 

and awards

More about ESTO’s 

approach to technology development,

ESTO programs, and 

strategic planning

A compilation of

useful reports, 

presentations, and 

other documents on 

technology

development for 

NASA Earth science 

A fully searchable database 

of ESTO investments

An active, regularly updated section for 

news items and announcements

Timely features on 

current ESTO 

technology progress 

and infusions

An interactive tool 

that shows ESTO’s 

linkages to the NRC 

Decadal Survey
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Earth Science Technology Office

Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 407.0

Greenbelt, MD 20771

www.esto.nasa.gov

www.nasa.gov