Background
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3
(OCO-3) OCO-3 measures atmospheric carbon dioxide from space.
It achieves this through the use of three high-resolution spectrometers integrated into a common structure with a single telescope. Two of the spectrometers measure the amount of sunlight absorbed by carbon dioxide at different wavelengths, and the third measures sunlight absorbed by oxygen. The ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen is used to determine the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
As well as carbon dioxide, OCO-3 can measure a type of radiation from plants called solar-induced fluorescence (SIF). This radiation is only emitted during photosynthesis, giving scientists an insight to plant health and productivity. The below images show a sample of carbon dioxide and SIF measurements taken by OCO-3.
Problem
OCO-3 is able to take measurements in four observational modes:
- Nadir - taken directly below the spacecraft over land
- Glint - taken over the ocean near the glint spot to maximize the signal received by the detectors
- Target - repeated scans taken over a point of interest, such as a calibration site
- Snapshot Area Map (SAM) - neighboring scans taken over a region of interest, such as a city
The instrument is outfitted with an agile Pointing Mirror Assembly (PMA), to allow for these specialized types of observations. Scientists would like to observe targets in SAM and Target modes according to priorities relating their importance, and observe in Nadir and Glint modes at other times.
Each of these modes also has illumination and visibility constraints, which the scheduler must respect.
During instrument checkout, observations to calibrate the accuracy of the PMA where also scheduled using automated scheduling technology.
Impact
The OCO-3 scheduler was used to schedule calibration campaigns during In-Orbit Checkout from May 2019 - August 2019 and has been used to schedule observations for nominal operations since August 2019.
Status
OCO-3 launched on May 4, 2019 to the ISS (International Space Station) on a Space-X Falcon 9 rocket as
part of a resupply mission. The instrument is attached to
the Japanese Experiment Module-Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) on the ISS.
From the orbit of the International Space Station, the OCO-3 instrument can see target regions at varying times throughout the day,
rather than more common sun synchronous satellites which see the same target always at a fixed time of day.
This variability in overflight timing allows scientists to study how atmospheric carbon changes throughout the day, as well as how it changes over longer timescales such as seasons and years.
The OCO-3 scheduler has been used for operations of OCO-3 starting during instrument checkout and continues presently.
Publications
generated by
2021
(1)
Yelamanchili, A.; Wells, C.; Chien, S.; Eldering, A.; Pavlickl, R.; Cheng, C.; Schneider, R.; and Moy, A.
Scheduling and Operations of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 Mission.
In
Proceedings Space Operations 2021, May 2021.
![Scheduling and Operations of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 Mission [pdf]](/assets/bibbase/img/pdf.svg "Paper")
Paper
link
bibtex
38 downloads
@inproceedings{yelamanchili_oco3_spaceops2021,
title = {Scheduling and Operations of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 Mission},
author = {A. Yelamanchili and C. Wells and S. Chien and A. Eldering and R. Pavlickl and C. Cheng and R. Schneider and A. Moy},
year = 2021,
month = {May},
booktitle = {Proceedings Space Operations 2021},
url = {https://spaceops.iafastro.directory/a/proceedings/SpaceOps-2021/SpaceOps-2021/6/manuscripts/SpaceOps-2021,6,x1382.pdf},
clearance = {CL\#21-1472 URS299286},
project = {oco3, clasp}
}
2020
(1)
Taylor, T. E.; Eldering, A.; Merrelli, A.; Kiel, M.; Somkuti, P.; Cheng, C.; Rosenberg, R.; Fisher, B.; Crisp, D.; Basilio, R.; Bennett, M.; Cervantes, D.; Chang, A.; Dang, L.; Frankenberg, C.; Haemmerle, V. R.; Keller, G. R.; Kurosu, T.; Laughner, J. L.; Lee, R.; Marchetti, Y.; Nelson, R. R.; O'Dell, C. W.; Osterman, G.; Pavlick, R.; Roehl, C.; Schneider, R.; Spiers, G.; To, C.; Wells, C.; Wennberg, P. O.; Yelamanchili, A.; and Yu, S.
OCO-3 early mission operations and initial (vEarly) XCO2 and SIF retrievals.
Remote Sensing of Environment, 251: 112032. 2020.
![OCO-3 early mission operations and initial (vEarly) XCO2 and SIF retrievals [link]](/assets/bibbase/img/link.svg "Paper")
Paper
doi
link
bibtex
313 downloads
@article{TAYLOR2020112032,
title = {OCO-3 early mission operations and initial (vEarly) XCO2 and SIF retrievals},
author = {Thomas E. Taylor and Annmarie Eldering and Aronne Merrelli and Matth\"{a}us Kiel and Peter Somkuti and Cecilia Cheng and Robert Rosenberg and Brendan Fisher and David Crisp and Ralph Basilio and Matthew Bennett and Daniel Cervantes and Albert Chang and Lan Dang and Christian Frankenberg and Vance R. Haemmerle and Graziela R. Keller and Thomas Kurosu and Joshua L. Laughner and Richard Lee and Yuliya Marchetti and Robert R. Nelson and Christopher W. O'Dell and Gregory Osterman and Ryan Pavlick and Coleen Roehl and Robert Schneider and Gary Spiers and Cathy To and Christopher Wells and Paul O. Wennberg and Amruta Yelamanchili and Shanshan Yu},
year = 2020,
journal = {Remote Sensing of Environment},
volume = 251,
pages = 112032,
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.112032},
issn = {0034-4257},
url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034425720304028},
project = {oco3}
}
2019
(2)
Yelamanchili, A.; Moy, A.; Chien, S.; Eldering, A.; Pavlick, R.; and Wells, C.
Automated Policy-based Scheduling for the OCO-3 mission.
In
Earth Science Technology Forum (ESTF 2019), Moffett Field, California, USA, June 2019.
Paper
link
bibtex
abstract
48 downloads
@inproceedings{chien_estf2019_oco3,
title = {Automated Policy-based Scheduling for the OCO-3 mission},
author = {A. Yelamanchili and A. Moy and S. Chien and A. Eldering and R. Pavlick and C. Wells},
year = 2019,
month = {June},
booktitle = {Earth Science Technology Forum (ESTF 2019)},
address = {Moffett Field, California, USA},
url = {https://ai.jpl.nasa.gov/public/posters/chien-estf2019-oco3.pdf},
note = {},
abstract = {Automated scheduling is being deployed for operations of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3). The OCO-3 scheduling process begins with a mostly-automated dynamic science priority assignment that is input to an automated scheduling of area targets, calibration targets, nadir, and glint mode. We describe the priority first area scheduling algorithm as well as use of AI scheduling for instrument callibration operations. Finally we describe fine pointing scheduling techniques relevant to OCO-3 and other missions but not baselined for OCO-3 usage.},
clearance = {CL\#19-3106},
project = {oco3, clasp}
}
Automated scheduling is being deployed for operations of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3). The OCO-3 scheduling process begins with a mostly-automated dynamic science priority assignment that is input to an automated scheduling of area targets, calibration targets, nadir, and glint mode. We describe the priority first area scheduling algorithm as well as use of AI scheduling for instrument callibration operations. Finally we describe fine pointing scheduling techniques relevant to OCO-3 and other missions but not baselined for OCO-3 usage.
Moy, A.; Yelamanchili, A.; Chien, S.; Eldering, A.; and Pavlick, R.
Automated Scheduling for the OCO-3 Mission.
In
International Workshop for Planning and Scheduling for Space (IWPSS 2019), pages 195–203, Berkeley, California, USA, July 2019.
Paper
link
bibtex
abstract
20 downloads
@inproceedings{yelamanchili_iwpss2019_oco3,
title = {Automated Scheduling for the OCO-3 Mission},
author = {A. Moy and A. Yelamanchili and S. Chien and A. Eldering and R. Pavlick},
year = 2019,
month = {July},
booktitle = {International Workshop for Planning and Scheduling for Space (IWPSS 2019)},
address = {Berkeley, California, USA},
pages = {195--203},
url = {https://ai.jpl.nasa.gov/public/papers/yelamanchili-iwpss2019-oco3-scheduling.pdf},
abstract = {We describe the automated scheduling system in development and in use for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 Mission (OCO-3), which launched to the International Space Station in May 2019. We first describe the high level scheduling prob- lem of scheduling the four types of observations: nadir, glint, target, and snapshot area map. We then describe the major complexity of OCO-3 scheduling - enforcing geometric visi- bility constraints for snapshot area map and target modes. We also describe an automated scheduling of instrument pointing calibration. We then describe current and related work as well as future directions for the scheduling of OCO-3.},
clearance = {CL\#19-3425},
project = {oco3, clasp}
}
We describe the automated scheduling system in development and in use for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 Mission (OCO-3), which launched to the International Space Station in May 2019. We first describe the high level scheduling prob- lem of scheduling the four types of observations: nadir, glint, target, and snapshot area map. We then describe the major complexity of OCO-3 scheduling - enforcing geometric visi- bility constraints for snapshot area map and target modes. We also describe an automated scheduling of instrument pointing calibration. We then describe current and related work as well as future directions for the scheduling of OCO-3.
Team
Amruta Yelamanchili
Christopher Wells
Joseph Russino
Steve Chien
Annmarie Eldering
Ryan Pavlick
Cecilia Cheng
Robert Schneider
