Blakeslee, Richard J.

Buechler, Dennis E.

Goodman, Steven

Harrison, Sherry W.

Stano, Geoffrey T.

Virts, Katrina S.

NASA Technical Reports Server

Annual global lightning flash rate (Flashes km2 yr-1) from LIS on ISS over first year with view time and detection 
efficiency corrections applied.  Results similar to combined OTD/LIS climatology*.
Data Handling (Processing, Archival, and Distribution)* Near Real Time Data
Next Steps
Mission and Measurement
Measurement
 NASA and its partners developed and demonstrated effectiveness 
and value of using space-based lightning observations as a 
remote sensing tool.
 LIS measures lightning (amount, rate, radiant energy) with storm 
scale resolution, millisecond timing, and high detection 
efficiency.
Benefit
 LIS on ISS extends TRMM time series observations, expands 
latitudinal coverage, provides real time data to operational users, 
and enable cross-sensor calibration.
Launch, Activation, and Operation
 LIS launched aboard Space X Cargo 
Resupply Service-10 (CRS-10) mission on   
19 February 2017.
 STP-H5 payload robotically installed with  
LIS in an Earth viewing position.
 LIS powered-up on 27 February 2017.
 Continuous operation has been maintained 
since power-up with one short interruption.
 51.6 inclination orbit, 425 km altitude 
(detects to ~55), ~ 600 x 600 km FOV.
 60 days required for complete sample of 
diurnal cycle.
 A point on the Earth is observed for ~90 
seconds as LIS passes overhead.
 An on-orbit mission extension of 2-3 years 
following end of prime mission in April 2019 
is being requested.
LIS Observations**
 The well-established and robust data handling 
infrastructure used for LIS on the Tropical Rainfall 
Measuring Mission (TRMM) was adapted for ISS.
 Therefore, lightning observations from LIS on ISS, 
including real time data, can be quickly delivered to 
and used by science and applications users.
 Both legacy TRMM LIS format (HDF4) and a new 
netCDF-4/CF data are being produced for LIS on ISS, 
by the Global Hydrology Resource Center, one of 
NASA’s Distributed Active Archive Centers.
 LIS data can be obtained from the GHRC DAAC at 
https://ghrc.nsstc.nasa.gov/lightning/ and 
https://lance.nsstc.nasa.gov/iss-lis/data.html.
 Key science and operational applications of LIS lightning observations continue to be pursued that 
range from weather and climate to atmospheric chemistry and lightning physics.
 LIS Team will initiate collaborations with other operational partners with interest in this data (partners 
include NWS Pacific Region, Ocean Prediction Center, National Hurricane Center, and Joint Typhoon Warning Center).
R. J. Blakeslee1, S. J. Goodman2, G. T. Stano3, S. G. Harrison4, K. Virts1, D. E. Buechler4
1NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (email: rich.blakeslee@nasa.gov, phone: 256-961-7962), 2TGA Consulting, 3ENSCO Inc. / NASA SPoRT, 4University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH)  
Poster Session:  Ninth Conference on the Meteorological Applications of Lightning Data American Meteorological Society (AMS) 99th Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona January 7, 2019
Sensor Unit (legacy hardware)
• Optical Assembly
• 128 x 128 CCD Focal Plane
• Lightning and Background detection
Electronics Unit (legacy hardware)
• Real Time Event Processor, 
Background removal, Data formatting
• Power conversion and control
Interface Unit (new hardware)
• Power conversion, timing, and control
• ISS interface
Operation (minimum 2 years)
Near Real-Time Lightning Data for Operations and Science Applications from the 
Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) on the International Space Station (ISS)
Level-1 Science Requirements Achieved
 Level-1 science requirements are the same for LIS on ISS as for TRMM LIS and its Optical Transient 
Detector (OTD) predecessor, and includes (1) day and night lightning detection, (2) storm scale (~ 4 km) 
resolution, (3) millisecond timing, (4) high, uniform detection efficiency without land/ocean bias, (5) 
calibrated radiant energy, and (6) background images/intensity.
 Real time lightning data was added as an additional (7th) Level-1 requirement for LIS on ISS.
Global Lightning Statistics and Climatology
LIS Lightning and Background Images 
(Super Storm Sandy  October 28, 2012)
Mission
 Fling a flight-spare LIS on ISS takes advantage of unique capabilities provided by the ISS platform  
(e.g., high inclination, real time data). 
 LIS is flown as a hosted payload on the DoD Space Test Program-Houston 5 (STP-H5) mission.
Electronics
Unit
Sensor
Unit
LIS Hardware and ISS Configuration
LIS Orbit (red box is FOV)
Poster #280
Time offset of LIS compared to three 
reference sources demonstrates sub-
millisecond timing accuracy.
Distance offset of LIS compared with GLM (apples – to – apples optical) shows  sub-
pixel  accuracy at 2-2.5 km.  Distance offset compared with Earth Networks and 
GLD360 ground-based systems further verifies this excellent geolocation accuracy.
GLM ENGLN GLD360
Timing Accuracy                 Geolocation Accuracy   
** See Poster 278 this session (Initial results from the Lightning Imaging Sensor on the International Space Station and comparison 
with observations from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission LIS by Buechler et al.) for more details on LIS on ISS observations. 
* See Poster 276 this session (Near real-time distribution of ISS LIS lightning data by Smith et al.) for LIS on ISS data access details.  One of the unique contributions provided for the first 
time from LIS will be the capability to transmit and 
disseminate lightning data in near real-time (NRT).
 NRT LIS data from the ISS is achieved by transmitting the 
data in real time to ground via the Tracking and Data 
Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) .
 LIS on ISS data is processed in real time in 2-minute 
processing increments.
 Both 2 minute and 12 hour browse image are created in 
real time and displayed on the Web at:
https://lightning.nsstc.nasa.gov/isslisib/isslisnrt
 Data are also available from the GHRC DAAC via a 
subscription service or from the NASA LANCE interface 
(see Poster 276 this session for more information).
2 Minute Browse Image
Date, Time (UTC):  2018-12-14, 20:36:40 UTC to 2018-12-14,  
20:38:40 UTC with ~30 seconds latency.  
12 Hour Browse Image
12 hour Browse Image (updated every two minutes), ending 
Date, Time (UTC):  2018-12-14, 20:36:40 UTC 
Notional Operational Application
Simulation of NRT LIS data from two sequential orbits to explore its utility to improve/augment situational awareness 
in data sparse regions for the NOAA AWC in support of international forecasting responsibilities and collaborations.
 The NRT lightning data from LIS on ISS is available for operational applications, especially useful for 
remote and data sparse regions (potential applications include storm warnings, nowcasts, oceanic aviation and 
international SIGMETs, long-range lightning system validation, and tropical cyclone rapid intensification evaluations).
 Initial discussions underway with the NOAA Aviation Weather Center (AWC) (i.e., Brian Pettegrew) to 
explore how NRT LIS data might contribute valuable inputs in support of its international weather & 
convective forecasting responsibilities and collaborations with Regional Hazardous Weather Advisory 
Centers (RHWACs).
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190000044 2019-08-30T04:59:38+00:00Z


Near Real-Time Lightning Data for Operations and Science Applications from the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) on the International Space Station (ISS)

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