Nimbus-7, the last of the Nimbus series satellites, was launched from the Space and Missile Test Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on October 24, 1978. The purpose of the mission was to collect global data of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans and polar ice with a payload of eight interdisciplinary research experiments. These experiments represent both domestic and international, scientific and governmental communities

Edelson, B. I.

English

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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19830009300 2020-03-21T05:30:37+00:00Z
.	 l
Post Launch
Mission^
L 
Operratiion Report
No. Z-404, 7"S
January 21, 1983
PAGE
	
^, 4
jFVED
D97
TO:	 A/Administrator
FROM:	 E/Associate Administrator for
Space Science and Applications
SUBJECT:	 Nimbus-7 (-G) Post Launc) Report: 	 Mission Success
Nimbus-7, the last of the Nimbus series satellites, was launchel
from the Space and Missile Test Center at Vandenberg Air Force 4
Base, California on October 24, 1978.
	 The purpose of the mission
was to collect global data of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans and
polar ice with a payload of eight interdisciplinary research
experiments. These Pxperiments represent both domestic and
international, scientific and governmental communities.
Based on a review of its performance and the Prelaunch Mission
Objective, I judge the Nimbus-7 Mission successful.
The objectives were, in summary, (1) to determine the feasibility
to mip upper atmospheric characteristics, (2) to determine the
feasibility to apply space collected oceanographic data for
science and application purposes, and (3) to extend the solar and
earth radiation data base. These objectives have all been met or
exceeded with `igh quality and quantity data products; the
Nimbus-7 payload and spacecraft continue in good health into
their fifth year of operations.
Following the development of the data processing algorithms, the
data reduction, validation and archiving has proceeded on a well
defined and systematic approach.	 Occasional problems still
require the skill and dedication of the Nimbus-7 team. Although
mission objectives were met earlier, mission success declaration
was held in abeyance until the archival of the first year data
set for al; the experiments was completed.
^,^.^213141516^,,8
,6	 T. Ed el son
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CIO 	 Fe/	 Q tEnclosures	 r —	 F^ 9^^
	
n	 r
(NASA-7H-85209)	 NIMBUS-7 (-G) PGSI LAUNCH
BEFOFI: mI rc;ION SUCCESS () aticnal
	
Aeronautics and Space Administraticr)	 19 P
BC AC2/MF A01	 CSCL 22F G3/15
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E-604-78-08
Enclosures
Z.	 Nimbus-7 Mission Highlights.
?.	 NASA Mission Objectives for Nimbus-G.
3. Assessment of the Nimbus-7 Mission,
	 a
4. Project Office Mission Success Assessment.
i
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A 
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i	
111
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3
VOF POOR QUALITY
	 1-604-78-08
Nimbus
-7_ Mission_HiIjhliIhts
Objectives
All mission objectives met and exceeded.
Lifetime
Payload and spacecraft far exceeding life expectancy. They
continue in good health into the fifth year of uninterrupted
operation.
T%_ * - Cs«
Systematically developed, validated, and archived in a form
suitable for scientific appli cations and analysis. The data sets
represent a unique, continuous set of global geophysical
parameters of the earth's atmosphere, oceans, polar ice, and
radiation budget plus a data set of solar radiation.
Data-Application
Specific problems investigated using Nimbus real time for
demonstrating use of space collected data, e.g. ozone locations
and concentration for commercial airline routing; sea surface
temperature and fish nutrient locations for west coast fishing
ship routing and U.S. Navy; sea ice concentrations for U.S. Navy
ice mapping.
Support
Continues to support many special requests for data collection
and data processing for national, international, and DOD
investigators.
C_ i i -
Six of +.he eight Nimbus-7 data sets will be continued with
follow-on instruments assigned to operational and research
satellites.
1
t
0MUM PAGE 4
OF POOR QUALrfy	 E-604-78-08
Nimbus_? Mission Highlights (Continued)
Scientific Accomplishments
(Results of data validation only. The Nimbus Program processes,
validates and archives; it is not responsible for data analysis).
o CZCS - Pigment concentration and diffuse attention coefficient
determined to +35% (Goal: a factor of 2).
o ERB	 - Detected short-term variations in solar irradiance
("constant") of the order 0.1 to 0.2% (1.0 to 3.0 w/m2)
related to solar activity.
- Recognized short-term variability in near UV similar in
nature to that observed with solar constant.
- Discovered apparent downward trend in solar constant
(.02-.04%/yr).
- Developed data base for studying angular reflectance
and emittance characteristics of earth and cloud
surfaces.
o LIMS - First global measurements of HNO and NO (PPB range)
- First global measurements of stratospheric H 2 O vapor
distribution.
- Detailed observation of very active stratospheric
warming.
o SAM II - Observations of seasonal and spatial variations of
stratospheric aerosols.
- Discovery and quantification of polar stratospheric
clouds.
o SPUV/
TOMS - First high quality, high resolution global data
ozone data set (TOMS).
- Provides "space truth" for ground observing
network.
o SHMR	 - First global ocean and polar ice climatological data
base of sea surface temperature, sea ice concentra-
tion, multi-year sea ice fractions, and atmospheric
water vapor.
o THIR	 - Cloud information provides basis for improvements in
earth radiation budget and ozone parameters derived
from satellites.
o SAMS	 - Mesospheric and thermospheric emission by resonance
fluorescence observed in H 2O, CO, NO, and CO?.
I
s
ORIGINAL PAGE IS
OF POOR QUALITY	 E-604-78-M
NASA MISSION OBJECTIVES FOR NIMBUS-G
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
Acquisition of data from two of the four instrunnentsi +9 Limb Infrared Monitoring of
the Stratosphere (LIMS); the Solar Backscattered Ultraviolet and Tptal Ozone Mapping
System (SBUV/TOMS); the Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder (SAMS); or the
Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement 11 (SAM II), for determining the feasibility to map
sources, sinks, and dispersion mechanisms of stratospheric/mesospheric gaseous and
particulate pollutants, for a period of 3 months.
Acquisition of data from either the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) or the Scanning
Multichannel Microwave Rodiometer (SMMR), for a period of 3 months, to determine
the feasibility of applying remotely-sensed oceanographic data to applications such as:
Detection of upper level ocean pollutants
•	 Determination of the nature of water-suspended materials
•	 Mapping of: sediments, biologically productive areas, interactions between
coastal effluents and open ocean waters
• Sea surface temperature napping
Sea ice characteristics and location
Ship route forecast improvement
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
Make quantitative measurements of air surfma/boundary conditions, or of precipitation
in support of the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) for a period of 3 months
using SMMR data,
OR
Continue to extend the base of measurements of variations of short and long wave
radiation fluxes outside the atmosphere by acquisition of data from the Earth Radiation
Budget (ERB) experiment for a period of 3 months, or continue to extend the base of
measurements of atmospheric constituents by acquisition  of data from the SBUV/TOMS
or the LIMS for a period of 3 months.
L	 Fanwood, Director 	 An ony J. a
Environmental Observations Division	 Associate Administrator for Space and
Office of Space & Terrestrial Applications Terrestrial App11 ions
Date: 813078	 Date:
	
30 '^
8/21/78
	
Noe 3
tORIGINAL PAGE 18
OF POOR QVALMY	 E-604-78-08
Assessment of the Nimbus-7 Mission
Based on a review of its performance and Prelaunch Mission
Objective, Nimbus-7, launched October 24, 1978, is judged
successful.
S. G. Ti If or	
Vssociate
Edelson
Director 
	 Administrator for
Environmental Observation
	 Space Science and Applications
Division
Date:	 Date:
	
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Nimbus-7 (-G) post launch report: Mission success

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