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STAR - GNSS Radio Occultation

Introduction

GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Radio Occultation (RO) is one of the long-term core observables in NOAA. The role of the STAR GNSS RO program is to fulfill NESDIS's need for in-house RO data processing, enterprise GNSS RO algorithm development, science development, support, archive, stewardship for the operational processing, user support, and science applications.

Mission

Provides accurate GNSS RO environmental data, products, and services to the current and future generations.

Vision

Provide valuable environmental information for accurately monitoring, understanding, and planning for adaptation and the mitigation of the changing environment to preserve the economy and human lives around the U.S. and the world.

Functions

  • Support NOAA/NESDIS offices to fulfill the functions of NESDIS
  • In-house RO data processing for the current RO missions
  • Development of the enterprise GNSS RO algorithms, including software engineering, for the current and future RO missions
  • Data maintenance and delivery (both in a real-time mode and post-processed mode)
  • Calibration and validation of each processing step from raw data to L1, L2, and L3 data products
  • RO data validation, monitoring, and data maintenance and delivery (both in a real- time mode and post-processed mode)
  • Operations and data quality monitoring, including calibration and validation
  • Long-term RO climate data monitoring and processing for climate studies
  • Transition to operation
  • Product portfolio management and cloud framework
  • Data archive and stewardship
  • Optimization of data for NWP and other operational applications
  • RO research and science within NOAA and in the international RO community