KSC is operated six days a week. When the station is manned, it is possible to do a quick-look plot of data. These plots are distributed via fax. Electronic delivery would be a useful method to pass the quicklooks along to the PIs. However, the current system is not set up for this, and so a fax machine is used.
Japanese PIs are able to process their own data before the CDs are sent out.
Finally, the observation data tapes are made and the data are sent to Goddard for storage and distribution. Because the data have been tagged with the same ID as the schedule products, cross-correlating is trivial. Data are made public after 1-2 years. The electronic transfer process ensures that data are not lost, misplaced, or wrongly labeled. The process does require manipulation of the data at different stages, and some manual intervention.