Satellite Ground Station Network for Real-Time Space Weather Data

The goal of this Phase II effort is to carry out a series of tasks with the purpose of developing a ground station network that can provide less than 15 minute latency in acquiring data from NOAA space weather assets. These tasks include:  Finalize a set of specifications for ground stations so they can be used to determine the suitability of existing ground stations for the different missions or recommend upgrades / new construction of other ground stations  Design a system to receive data from LEO satellites that can be easily deployed in remote locations, which could be offered to NOAA as a turn-key package  Conduct a feasibility study of commercial ground station options for additional sites  Update previously conducted ground station access time simulations  Study satellite-to-satellite links as an alternative to new ground stations, including intraconstellation, inter-constellation and geosynchronous links.  Explore concepts related to Software Defined Radio as potential solutions for enhancing capability and flexibly in NOAA’s current and potential future ground station architecture.  Provide a final report with a summary of the overall solution, alternatives and recommendations to NOAA’s original request of less than 15 minute latency in gathering space weather data.