Dataset Information

ICESat-2 Early Mission Synopsis and Observatory Performance.

ABSTRACT: The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimetry System (ATLAS) onboard the NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) is the newest Earth observing satellite for global elevation studies. The primary objectives for ICESat-2 follow the objectives of its predecessor, ICESat and also focus on providing cryospheric measurements to determine ice sheet mass balance, and monitor both sea ice thickness and extent. However, the global observations support secondary science objectives as well such as biomass estimation, inland water elevation, sea state height and aerosol concentrations. Since launch of ICESat-2, ATLAS has collected more than a trillion measurements. This study provides a mission overview, a description of the operational components that enable the altimeter products for science, on-orbit observatory performance, and assessment of the spacecraft attitude control systems that enable repeat measurements to within 10 m and pointing control within ±45 m. These metrics should be considered for ground-based validation campaigns or science investigations.

SUBMITTER: Magruder L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8265375 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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ICESat-2 Early Mission Synopsis and Observatory Performance.

Magruder Lori L Neumann Thomas T Kurtz Nathan N

Earth and space science (Hoboken, N.J.) 20210518 5

The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimetry System (ATLAS) onboard the NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) is the newest Earth observing satellite for global elevation studies. The primary objectives for ICESat-2 follow the objectives of its predecessor, ICESat and also focus on providing cryospheric measurements to determine ice sheet mass balance, and monitor both sea ice thickness and extent. However, the global observations support secondary science objectives as well suc ...[more]

PMID: 34268445

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Project description:BackgroundThrough Community Care Networks (CCNs) implemented with the VA MISSION Act, VA expanded provider contracting and instituted network adequacy standards for Veterans' community care.ObjectiveTo determine whether early CCN implementation impacted community primary care (PC) appointment wait times overall, and by rural/urban and PC shortage area (HPSA) status.DesignUsing VA administrative data from February 2019 through February 2020 and a difference-in-differences approach, we compared wait times before and after CCN implementation for appointments scheduled by VA facilities that did (CCN appointments) and did not (comparison appointments) implement CCNs. We ran regression models with all appointments, and stratified by rural/urban and PC HPSA status. All models adjusted for Veteran characteristics and VA facility-level clustering.Appointments13,720 CCN and 40,638 comparison appointments.Main measuresWait time, measured as number of days from authorization to use community PC to a Veteran's first corresponding appointment.Key resultsOverall, unadjusted wait times increased by 35.7 days ([34.4, 37.1] 95% CI) after CCN implementation. In adjusted analysis, comparison wait times increased on average 33.7 days ([26.3, 41.2] 95% CI, p < 0.001) after CCN implementation; there was no significant difference for CCN wait times (across-group mean difference: 5.4 days, [-3.8, 14.6] 95% CI, p = 0.25). In stratified analyses, comparison wait time increases ranged from 29.6 days ([20.8, 38.4] 95% CI, p < 0.001) to 42.1 days ([32.9, 51.3] 95% CI, p > 0.001) after CCN implementation, while additional differences for CCN appointments ranged from 13.4 days ([3.5, 23.4] 95% CI, p = 0.008) to -15.1 days ([-30.1, -0.1] 95% CI, p = 0.05) for urban and PC HPSA appointments, respectively.ConclusionsAfter early CCN implementation, community PC wait times increased sharply at VA facilities that did and did not implement CCNs, regardless of rural/urban or PC HPSA status, suggesting community care demand likely overwhelmed VA resources such that CCNs had limited impact.

Project description:Here we describe the novel, multi-point Comet Interceptor mission. It is dedicated to the exploration of a little-processed long-period comet, possibly entering the inner Solar System for the first time, or to encounter an interstellar object originating at another star. The objectives of the mission are to address the following questions: What are the surface composition, shape, morphology, and structure of the target object? What is the composition of the gas and dust in the coma, its connection to the nucleus, and the nature of its interaction with the solar wind? The mission was proposed to the European Space Agency in 2018, and formally adopted by the agency in June 2022, for launch in 2029 together with the Ariel mission. Comet Interceptor will take advantage of the opportunity presented by ESA's F-Class call for fast, flexible, low-cost missions to which it was proposed. The call required a launch to a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point. The mission can take advantage of this placement to wait for the discovery of a suitable comet reachable with its minimum ΔV capability of 600 ms-1. Comet Interceptor will be unique in encountering and studying, at a nominal closest approach distance of 1000 km, a comet that represents a near-pristine sample of material from the formation of the Solar System. It will also add a capability that no previous cometary mission has had, which is to deploy two sub-probes - B1, provided by the Japanese space agency, JAXA, and B2 - that will follow different trajectories through the coma. While the main probe passes at a nominal 1000 km distance, probes B1 and B2 will follow different chords through the coma at distances of 850 km and 400 km, respectively. The result will be unique, simultaneous, spatially resolved information of the 3-dimensional properties of the target comet and its interaction with the space environment. We present the mission's science background leading to these objectives, as well as an overview of the scientific instruments, mission design, and schedule.

Dataset Information

ICESat-2 Early Mission Synopsis and Observatory Performance.

Publications

ICESat-2 Early Mission Synopsis and Observatory Performance.

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