GSFC Earth Science Projects Division (ESPD): Home of GSFC Earth Science Flight Projects

& Agency Earth Systematic Missions Program and Reimbursable Projects Program

Presented to the Goddard Contractor’s Association

February 12, 2014

Presented by Tom McCarthy,

Associate Director, Earth Science Projects Division

Program Manager, Earth Systematic Missions Program

Program Manager, Reimbursable Projects Program

Tom McCarthy – the abridged resume…

Large Company (1979-1997): Engineer & Manager

Small Company (1997-2001): General Manager

Public Service (2001 – Present): NASA Engineer & Executive

What you will hear about today

Importance of Earth System Science

Earth Science Projects Division (ESPD) at GSFC

Earth Science Portfolio of Missions

Program System Engineering Snapshot

A Few Key Operating Principles

Challenging Parts of the Job

Challenges within ESPD

ESPD Business Initiatives

Opportunities for Contractors to Help

NASA & Earth Science

– Earth’s changing environment will impact every aspect of life on our planet

– Humans are the only creatures able to analyze, anticipate, and act now to influence events that will occur generations into the future

– Climate change poses profound societal challenges

– Detecting and understanding the causes of trends amidst small-scale variability require technological skill and deep understanding of the Earth as an integrated system

– The fact that we know the climate is changing is a profound testament to our human skills and intellect

Challenge: The Earth is a Complex System

Where is the ESPD Organization?

NASA

SMD

ESD JASD

ESMPO

RPPO

GSFC

Code 400/FPD

Code420/ESPD

ESSPP

NASA/Earth Science Division (ESD) Activities

– MEASUREMENTS: Monitor/observe the Earth and our environment to advance science, develop applications for societal benefit, and support other mission agencies. NASA designs, implements, and operates present and future spaceborne observing systems

– RESEARCH: Understand and thereby better project the Earth as an integrated system through multidisciplinary research, using all relevant measurements (not just spaceborne, not just NASA)

– SOCIETAL BENEFIT and CAPACITY BUILDING: Develop and test new information products based on measurements and research, that are tailored to the needs of end users; increase users’ capacity to exploit the information

– TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT: Focused investments in instruments, data processing, and communications technologies to support new missions, research, and applications

Nasa HQ Earth Science Division (ESD)Division

61%*

2% 34%

3%

*ESMP is 70%

of the 61%

(ESSP is the

other 30%)

NASA/Joint Agency Satellite Division (JASD) Activities

– JPSS Program: Joint Polar Satellite System program is the program designated for management of the development of the U.S. civilian operational polar satellite system program providing environmental observational data to the U.S. civilian, defense, and international community (48% of Reimbursable Budget).

– GOES R Series Program: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R Series program is the program designated to manage the development of the next generation of geostationary weather satellites (43% of Reimbursable Budget).

– RPP: Reimbursable Projects Program (RPP) is the designated program for management of a select set of U.S. Partner Agency-funded projects managed within the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) (8% of Reimbursable Budget).

The Dual Charters of ESPD

We are GSFC! Earth Science Projects Division (ESPD): Institutional Responsibility for GSFC Earth Science Flight Projects.....(59 Civil Servants, 656 Contractors)

We are HQ! Earth Systematic Missions Program (ESMP): Programmatic Responsibility for Earth Science Missions across the Agency (GSFC, JPL, LaRC)…..FY14 Budget of $788M

Reimbursable Projects Program (RPP): Programmatic Responsibility for Reimbursable Missions (that are not JPSS and GOES R) across the Agency (GSFC & JPL)…..FY14 Budget of $133M

Performing Centers

GSFC: Peter Hildebrand

LaRC: Lelia Vann

JPL: Diane Evans

PAO/130

Rani Gran

2014 View

Reimbursable Projects Program Tom McCarthy, Program Manager

Carolyn Ellenes, DPM/R

Earth Systematic Missions Program Tom McCarthy, Program Manager

Eric Ianson, Deputy Program Manager

ICESat-2 Project/425

Doug Mclennan, PM

John Leon, DPM/T

Mark Seidleck, DPM/R

SMAP Project/JPL

Kent Kellogg, PM

Chris Savinell, MM

NISAR/JPL

Yunjin Kim, PM

Chris Savinell, MM

GPS TRiG Technology/JPL

Jeff Tien, PM

Chris Savinell, MM

Division Business Office

Kathy Shifflett, Program Business Manager

Carolyn Ellenes, Deputy Program Business Manager

Darlene Fennell, DPM/R Decadal Survey Missions

Vacant, Financial Manager, ESPD

Sheri Platt, Financial Manager, Decadal Survey Missions

Katy Mikkelsen, Program Support Manager

Program Integration Manager

Paul Brandinger

Division Procurement Manager/210

Nylsevalis Ortizcollazo

GRACE Follow-On Project /JPL

Phil Morton, PM

Sharon Straka, MM

CLARREO Mission

Studies/LaRC

Kevin Brown, PM

Otilia Rodriguez, MM

ESDIS Project/423

Dawn Lowe, PM

Rama Ramapriyan, Asst PM

Jeff Walter, DPM/T

Jeanne Behnke, DPM/Ops

Diane Hronek, DPM/R

ESMO Project/428

Wynn Watson, PM

Eric Moyer, DPM/T

Greg Dell, DPM/Ops

Vacant, DPM/R

Dimitrios Mantziaras, Terra

Mission Director

POES MetOp Project/421

Karen Halterman, PM

Gene Guerrero-Martin, DPM/T

DSCOVR Project/426

Al Vernacchio, PM

Bob Smith, DPM/T

Carol Grunsfeld, DPM/R

JASON-3 Project/JPL

Parag Vaze, PM

Sharon Straka, MM

Division Systems Engineering/599

Stephen Leete

SAGE III Project/ LaRC

Mike Cisewski, PM

Otilia Rodriguez, MM

GPM Project/422

Art Azarbarzin, PM

Candace Carlisle, DPM/T

Jackie Fiora, DPM/R

Earth Science Projects Division

Code 420

Associate Director

Tom McCarthy

Deputy Associate Director

Eric Ianson

Secretary

Jonetta Johnson

SWOT Mission/JPL

Parag Vaze, PM

Angela Mason, MM

ASCENDS

Mission Studies

Otilia Rodriguez, MM

PACE, ACE

Mission Studies

Angela Mason, MM

HyspIRI, GEO-CAPE

Mission Studies

Reggie Eason, MM

Polar Free Flyer/424

Kevin Carmack, PM

Steve Pszcolka, DPM/T

Debra Dodson, DPM/R

Land Imaging Studies

Del Jenstrom, SM

Climate Sensors

Paul Brandinger, MM

Mission Operations Science Operations

Earth Science Data Operations

Data Acquisition

Flight Operations, Data Capture,

Initial Processing, Backup Archive

Data Transport to

Data Centers/ SIPSs

Science Data Processing, Data Management, Interoperable Data

Archive, and Distribution

Distribution and

Data Access

NASA Integrated

Services Network

(NISN) Mission Services

Research

Education

Value-Added Providers

Earth System Models

International Partners

Decision Support Systems

Internet

(Search, Order,

Distribution)

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)

Instrument Teams and Science

Investigator-led Processing Systems

(SIPSs)

White Sands Complex (WSC)

EOS Polar Ground Stations

Direct Broadcast (DB)

Direct Broadcast/ Direct Readout

Stations

EOSDIS Data Centers

EOS Data Operations System (EDOS) Data Processing

EOS Operations Center (EOC)

Mission Control

EOSSpacecraft

Interagency Data Centers

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

Data Center

Operations

SMD J. Grunsfeld

Astro-

physics

Helio-

physics

Planetary

Research

J. Kaye

Applied

Science

L. Friedl

Flight

Programs

S. Volz

Program Executive for

Earth Science Data Systems

M. Maiden

Program Executive for

Operating Missions

C. Yuhas

Earth Science

Data and Information

System (ESDIS) Project D. Lowe

Science Systems

Development

Office

D. Marinelli

Science

Operations

Office

J. Behnke

Flight

Projects G. Morrow

Appl. Eng.

&

Technology

Sciences

&

Exploration

Planetary

Science

Astro-

physics

GSFC C. Scolese

Earth

Science T. McCarthy

400

500

600

423

.

.

.

.

.

.

Terrestrial

Ecology • D. Wickland

ORNL

DAAC

Program Scientists

Physical

Oceanography • E. Lindstrom

Physical Oceanography

DAAC

Atmospheric

Dynamics • R. Kakar

GSFC Earth

Sciences DISC

Ocean Biology &

Biogeochemistry • P. Bontempi

Earth Surface

and Interior • J. LaBrecque

Crustal Dynamics

DIS

Cryosphere

Science • T. Wagner

National Snow and Ice Data

Center

420

430

440

.

.

.

.

.

.

Earth Science & Data Systems

Upper Atmosphere

Research • K. Jucks

Global Hydrology

Resource Center

Ocean Biology Processing

Group

SAR Systems • C. Dobson

ASF SAR Data Center

Socioeconomic Data & Applic- ations Center

Applications • C. Dobson

L1 and Atmos. Data • TBD

MODAPS/

LAADS

Earth

Science

M. Freilich

Application Scientists

Land Processes • W. Turner Land

Processes DAAC

Atmospheric

Radiation • H. Maring

Atmospheric Sciences

Data Center

04/16/2013

ESPD Portfolio of Flight Projects

Mission Launch Vehicle Contract Status

Glory 4-Mar-11 Taurus NASA/LSP/Orbital Unsuccessful-LV failure

NPP 28-Oct-11 Delta-II NASA/LSP/ULA Successful; operational (Phase E)

LDCM 11-Feb-13 Atlas-V NASA/LSP/ULA Successful; operational (Phase E)

GPM 28-Feb-14 H-IIA JAXA/MHI At launch site (Phase D)

SMAP 5-Nov-14 Delta-II NASA/LSP/ULA In environmental test (Phase D)

DSCOVR 13-Jan-15 Falcon-9 USAF/OSP3/SpaceX In environmental test (Phase C)

Jason-3 1-Mar-15 Falcon-9 NASA/LSP/SpaceX In environmental test (Phase D)

SAGE-III TBD 2015 Falcon-9 NASA/ISSP/CRS/SpaceX In subsystem fab and test (Phase D)

ICESat-2 Mar-17 Delta-II NASA/LSP/ULA In subsystem fab and test (Phase C)

GRACE-FO 5-Aug-17 DNEPR GFZ/Kosmotras In formulation (Phase B)

NI-SAR 29-Sep-20 GSLV ISRO Pre-Phase A

SWOT 9-Oct-20 TBD NASA/LSP/TBD In formulation (Phase A)

PACE late-2019 TBD TBD Pre-Phase A

HyspIRI >2020 TBD TBD Pre-Phase A

GEO-CAPE >2020 TBD TBD Pre-Phase A

ACE >2020 TBD TBD Pre-Phase A

ASCENDS 2022 TBD TBD Pre-Phase A

Land Imaging TBD TBD TBD Pre-Phase A

GPM Video

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission

LRD – February 28, 2014 from Tanegashima, Japan

GPM Journey to Tanegashima, Japan

Project Manager Arriving at Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

ESMP & RPP Offices Systems Engineering Working Group (SEWG)

• SEWG is a group of multi-center system engineers within the NASA ESMPO – Consists of GSFC, JPL and LRC Systems Engineers , Civil servants and contractors

• SEWG Objective: – Look across missions - current and future – Identify risks and ways to reduce risks – Employ the systems engineering perspective – Assess the practice of SE in ESMP & RPP missions

• Membership: – Leads at GSFC, JPL and LaRC – Staff at GSFC (1 CS, 8 C (some part-time)) – Liaisons to sister organizations in ESD: ESTO, ESSP – Mission Managers

• Functions: – Individual staff monitor assigned projects, attending reviews and meetings – Run SEWG Risk Board & support Program Risk Board – Special Studies – usually work that is assigned by the Earth Science Division

• Common Bus study, combining missions, Mission and Instrument Design Lab studies

• Decadal Survey missions as ISS Payloads, Decadal Survey mission TRL assessments (2013)

• Instrument Cost Estimation, TRL Definitions (2014) – Produce conference papers – Weekly telecon, quarterly face-to-face meetings that rotate between the three centers

Division & Program Operating Principles

Build Trust (Keeping Agreements)

Transparency (Sharing Information)

Execution (Delivering on Promises)

Do what Makes Sense

Being 4D!

The Challenging Parts of the Jobs…..Associate Director &

Program Manager…..

Communications……..

Relationships……..

ESPD

ESD/Mike

GSFC/Chris

JPL

LaRC PMs MMs

PEs

JASD/Marcus

RPPO ESMPO

PEs

ESPD Communication Channels

SMD/John NASA

Administrator

SMD

ESD

LaRC

JASD

JPL GSFC

ARC

USGS NOAA

ESMP

RPP

Program Offices’ Landscape of Relationships

APL

Challenges within ESPD

Providing a measure of programmatic stability for each of the projects in ESMP and RPP in an unstable budgetary

environment…..

Striking a BALANCE between the ever increasing number of highly specific and numerous requirements and a flexible tailored

approach that fits the budget…..

Program Portfolio Budgets (ESMP & RPP) are constrained which heightens demands on individual project execution, ie, if one

project exceeds budget, impacts others in the portfolio, especially those in formulation…..

Increasing demands on our Flight Operations Team to deal with on-orbit conjunctions…..

Orbital Debris Challenge

• EOS missions are in a 705km, polar sun-synchronous orbit

• 194 cataloged objects currently reside in 705km +/- 5km orbit with orbital period of 98.77-98.98 minutes

– 21 of these cataloged objects are potentially active (includes Terra, Aqua, Aura)

• 3650 cataloged objects pass through the 705km regime each day

• Based on screening predictions from CARA for Aqua, Aura and Terra Satellites and using only the past 8 months due to the higher solar activity of the atmosphere:

– EOS missions average 3.0 close approaches per day with at least one predicted miss distance less than 5km

– EOS missions average 1.3 close approaches per day with at least one predicted miss distance less than 2km

– EOS missions average 0.16 close approaches per day (more than 1/week) with at least one predicted miss distance less than 500m

25

26

Orbital Debris Challenge

ESPD & Program Business Initiatives

New Business: Because of our Programmatic responsibilities, we firewall ourselves from all GSFC capture activities and do not have an advocacy role in this area…..

External Relationships: We have a focused effort to develop relationships between all of partners in Earth Science, both government and industry (i.e., have periodic tagups with JPL, LaRC. LSP, LMC, OSC, Ball, Raytheon, Northrup Grumman, Space X)…..

Implementing Code 400 Business Change Initiatives…….

STATUS TO THE GODDARD SENIOR STAFF

Business Change

Initiative (BCI)

Comprehensive

evaluation of

management,

communication, and

information sharing

mechanisms

intended to improve

cost, scheduling,

and overall

performance across

the Flight Projects

Portfolio

Environmental Challenges

Increased visibility

and accountability

Improved

management

tools

Established

GSFC policies

and procedures

Enhanced training

and knowledge

sharing

Standardized

processes

Discovered risks

early

Our Response Desired End State

Increasing external

reviews, audits, and data

requests

Greater competition for

resources

Oncoming retirement

wave and corresponding

knowledge gap

Rising costs, schedule

delays, and inconsistent

processes

ENVIRONMENT (FACTORS THAT PRECIPITATED THE BCI)

Project Proposal

Requirements Development and

Management

Acquisition Management

Project Planning

Cost Estimating

Risk Management Earned Value Management

Budget and Full Cost Management

Capital Management

Systems Engineering

Contract Management

Stakeholder Management

Technology Transfer and

Commercialization

Tracking/Trending Project

Performance

Cost/Schedule Analysis

Project Review

Project

Execution

Resource

Management

Project

Implementation

Project

Closeout

Project Control

and

Evaluation

Project Planning and Control Discipline Areas (Reference: Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL))

Bold Text = Current BCI Focus

Area

OVERVIEW: SCOPE

Opportunities for Contractors to Help

Understand risks that pose threats to your execution & commitments and ensure projects understand them.…. strive for

no surprises…..

Continue to work with projects to bridge gap in understanding the differences between commercial practices and government

practices……suggest tailoring…..

Look for opportunities to keep costs low on existing projects….allows more missions into formulation….maintains

both contactor and civil servant workforce….

ESPD

Thanks You

for your support!

My Contact Information