Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES I-M) METSAT project

The primary objective of the METSAT project is to provide a satellite system that meets the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) requirements as specified by NOAA. For the GOES I-M spacecraft, these requirements include an imager and sounder system, a data collection system, and a search and rescue system. The Space Transportation System and GOES I-M development philosophy and the satellite transfer orbit philosophy are explained. The spacecraft will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center using Atlas G/Centaur D-1A expendable launch vehicles. The coverage required for launch and the support of transfer and drift orbits will consist of the 26-m antenna as prime and the TBD antenna as backup for 11 days at all complexes. There will be contingency support 15 days for on-station spacecraft checkout. After the initial 30 to 45 days, the Deep Space Network (DSN) is committed for emergency support. Contingency and emergency support will be provided by Goldstone only. Information is given in tabular form for DSN support, frequency assignments, telemetry, command, and tracking support responsibility

Despite all the controversy, an Iran deal Is still the best option

This month has seen the resumption of talks between Iran and the P-5 plus one group of nations over that country’s nuclear program. While there have been positive murmurings over the possibility of a deal from the Obama administration, Europe, and the Iranians, many in the U.S. Congress have spoken out against it. Harry C. Blaney III looks at those supporting and opposing the potential deal, and argues that an agreement could help aid the process of reconciliation in the Middle East, and as such, the U.S. and its allies should work hard for one despite any setbacks

The Iran deal shows that the U.S. can work with others to help make the world safer through preventative diplomacy

Last week, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany, came to an agreement with Iran over that country’s nuclear program in exchange for the phasing out of sanctions. Harry C. Blaney III writes that the deal shows what intense diplomacy can accomplish, even in the face of cries for war, and that it may also be the beginning of a framework to reduce nuclear proliferation in other countries such as India, Pakistan and North Korea

President Obama’s historic meeting with Raul Castro marks thebeginning of a transformation in Cuban-American relations

Earlier this month, President Obama met with the Cuban President, Raul Castro as part of a process to restore diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba. Harry C. Blaney III writes that though there is still a long road to full rapprochement, the meeting has begun the transformation of U.S. relations with Cuba and Latin America, with the old animosities now being left behind

President Trump would be a mortal danger to the US and to the world

While nearly unthinkable even a year ago, there is now a very real possibility that Donald Trump will take over the White House in January 2017. Harry C. Blaney III writes that with his potential to control the US’ nuclear arsenal and other weapons of mass destruction means that the rest of the world should have an interest in what Trump might do as president. He argues that Trump’s ignorance and self-importance would make him a very dangerous president

Donald Trump’s comments on Cuba show his disregard for longterm strategy

At a rally in September, Donald Trump outlined that he would reverse President Obama’s recent deal with Cuba for closer relations with the US. Harry C. Blaney III argues that these and other comments from the Republican presidential nominee show that he is more interested in confrontation than improving international cooperation and promoting democracy

Trump’s likely foreign policy cabinet picks range from the unqualified to the dangerous

Recent weeks have seen president-elect Donald Trump begin to select cabinet appointments for his administration. Looking at Trump’s likely picks for positions concerned with foreign policy, Harry C. Blaney III argues that many of those that he is considering are either unqualified or would lead to serious damage to the country if they were appointed

Magnetospheric considerations for solar system ice state

The current lattice configuration of the water ice on the surfaces of the inner satellites of Jupiter and Saturn is likely shaped by many factors. But laboratory experiments have found that energetic proton irradiation can cause a transition in the structure of pure water ice from crystalline to amorphous. It is not known to what extent this process is competitive with other processes in solar system contexts. For example, surface regions that are rich in water ice may be too warm for this effect to be important, even if the energetic proton bombardment rate is very high. In this paper, we make predictions, based on particle flux levels and other considerations, about where in the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn the ∼MeV proton irradiation mechanism should be most relevant. Our results support the conclusions of Hansen and McCord (2004), who related relative level of radiation on the three outer Galilean satellites to the amorphous ice content within the top 1 mm of surface. We argue here that if magnetospheric effects are considered more carefully, the correlation is even more compelling. Crystalline ice is by far the dominant ice state detected on the inner Saturnian satellites and, as we show here, the flux of bombarding energetic protons onto these bodies is much smaller than at the inner Jovian satellites. Therefore, the ice on the Saturnian satellites also corroborates the correlation

Studies of a Lacustrine-Volcanic Mars Analog Field Site with Mars-2020-like Instruments

On the upcoming Mars‐2020 rover two remote sensing instruments, Mastcam‐Z and SuperCam, and two microscopic proximity science instruments, SHERLOC and PIXL, will collect compositional (mineralogy, chemistry, and organics) data essential for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. The synergies between and limitations of these instruments were evaluated via study of a Mars analog field site in the Mojave Desert, using instruments approximating the data that will be returned by Mars‐2020. A ground truth dataset was generated for comparison to validate the results. The site consists of a succession of clay‐rich mudstones of lacustrine origin, interbedded tuffs, a carbonate‐silica travertine deposit, and gypsiferous mudstone strata. The major geological units were mapped successfully using simulated Mars‐2020 data. Simulated Mastcam‐Z data identified unit boundaries and Fe‐bearing weathering products. Simulated SuperCam passive shortwave infrared and green Raman data were essential in identifying major mineralogical composition and changes in lacustrine facies at distance; this was possible even with spectrally downsampled passive IR data. LIBS and simulated PIXL data discriminated and mapped major element chemistry. Simulated PIXL revealed mm‐scale zones enriched in zirconium, of interest for age dating. SHERLOC‐like data mapped sulfate and carbonate at sub‐mm scale; silicates were identified with increased laser pulses/spot or by averaging of hundreds of spectra. Fluorescence scans detected and mapped varied classes of organics in all samples, characterized further with follow‐on spatially targeted deep‐UV Raman spectra. Development of dedicated organics spectral libraries is needed to aid interpretation. Given these observations, the important units in the outcrop would be sampled and cached for sample return