A -- STUDY TOPEX/POSEIDEN GROUNDTRACK ERROR MEASUREMENTS-MODEL NPOESS ALTIMETER

Notice Date

March 15, 2001

Contracting Office

NPOESS/Integrated Program Office, NOAA/SAO Procurement Staff, 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1450, Silver Spring, MD 20910

ZIP Code

20910

Solicitation Number

52-SPNA-1-00035

Response Due

May 3, 2001

Point of Contact

Jay W. Moore, Contracting Officer, 301-427-2126, ext. 112

E-Mail Address

Contracting Officer (jay.moore@noaa.gov)

Description

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), Integrated Program Office (IPO), proposes to enter into a contract with the University of Texas (Austin), Center for Space Research (CSR). The authority for execution of this proposed contract by NOAA is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), "only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements". The term of the contract will be for 12 months, with two (2) 12-month options for extensions to the term of performance. During the initial year of performance, and expanding in the second and third year, the University of Texas/CSR will study groundtrack errors from current altimetry measurements and simulate models of the NPOESS satellite altimeter to measure sea level variability, including global mean sea level change, large scale sea level variability, and mesoscale variability. These studies will be instrumental to designing accurate measurements to be derived from the NPOESS altimeter. The NPOESS altimeter will continue the observations of the global and sea level changes observed by the TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason series of missions. The T/P altimeter and its follow on, Jason-1, are the precursors to the altimetry design planned for the NPOESS spacecraft. However, since the NPOESS sun synchronous ground track will measure from a different frame of reference, measuring sea surface height from a different altitude and altimeter range, the NPOESS models may include aliasing of the solar tidal effects of a greater magnitude than in the TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason models. This study will examine the largest errors and introduce various NPOESS orbital configurations to examine the variances in error characteristics. The University of Texas/Austin, CSR team has been involved with satellite altimetry missions for twenty years, working in the field of orbital analysis for altimetry. The proposed Principal Investigator (PI) served on the board to design the requirements for the TOPEX (Ocean Topography Experiment)/Poseidon (T/P) altimeter mission and the follow-on Jason-1 mission. The CSR team members have been the orbital experts for those missions and have the unique knowledge that can only be gained though designing and analyzing these missions. Understanding the specific orbits that complement these missions is directly applicable to modeling the aliases from the orbits being designed for the NPOESS altimeter. CSR is the only research center in a position to provide all aspects of the assessment, from analysis of global mean sea level change, basin-scale sea level, and mesoscale variability, to calibration and precise orbit determination requirements. CSR can leverage research being conducted at the Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Flight Center. CSR also has use of the Navy's MODAS data interpolation software, which will be used to evaluate the effect of different proposed NPOESS groundtracks on mesoscale eddy monitoring. The computer systems and models at its facilities, combined with the unique expertise and altimetry and hydrology models at the CSR, give the University of Texas/Austin, CSR, the extent of unique expertise to perform this sole source requirement. The singular expertise and resources of the CSR cannot be secured from other public or private institutions. Any other party desiring consideration for this requirement must identify its full capability in writing to the Contracting Officer within 30 days of this publication. No RFP or solicitation is available. No further CBD notice is planned. POC: Jay W. Moore; (301) 427-2126, extension 112. SEE NOTES 22, 25 and 26.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010319/ASOL005.HTM (W-074 SN50G329)