1. Session 3: Virtual Constellations Introduction
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
Session 3: Virtual Constellations Introduction
Steve Volz, CEOS SIT Chair
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
CEOS SIT-33
Session 3, Agenda Item 3.1
Boulder, CO, USA
24 – 25 April 2018

2. Session Objective and Questions
OBJECTIVE: To support tangible and sustainable outcomes from CEOS Virtual Constellations by providing an opportunity to air key issues, identify barriers to progress, and discuss ways to overcome those barriers. Reflect on findings from the recent VC questionnaires and telecons.
KEY SESSION QUESTIONS:
How does CEOS best ensure continuity and sustainability of VCs?
What outputs are the VCs delivering? What additional outputs are needed or could they deliver?
What are the gaps within and between VCs that need to be addressed? How can they be addressed?
What obstacles are being raised by the VCs? And can they be resolved? If so, how?
Can, and how can the work of the VCs be mapped to future CEOS agency mission planning processes?

3. Strategic Directions - VCs
Ensuring tangible outcomes from, and sustainable commitment to, our VCs and WGs
Maximizing the value of their output for CEOS objectives (e.g., ECVs and SDGs) and for individual CEOS Agency objectives
Ensuring the necessary support for our existing thematic teams to flourish and to deliver
Clearer overall CEOS observing system assessment and desired observing strategies – and known contribution from each CEOS Entity
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR CEOS
DISCUSSION PAPER – SIT-33

4. Preparation Process
Updated status on reality of each group in sought frank assessments from leadership.
VC and WG Telecons with SIT Chair Team
Dedicated Questionnaire to VCs and WGs and Former VC and WG Leadership
Analysis of CEOS Work Plan for Tangible Outputs
Corresponding Reporting Template for SIT-33

5. Virtual Constellation Questionnaire - Process
All VCs asked to respond to 13 questions (8 responses received; 2 from former VC Leads; 1 non-response from OCR- VC)
Effort to try and assemble a common information set to take stock of the current status of each VC
Assess what observation objectives are being considered by each VC
Gather views on the suitability of the current VC reporting and feedback structure within CEOS
Determine how to best communicate the significant contributions of the VCs to the CEOS community
Identify shortcomings, and share best practices and successes across VCs.

6. VC Responses - Process

7. Virtual Constellation Questionnaire Key Statements
“Resources are always a challenge, given that direct funding is limited to the commitments made by our agencies to partially fund our personal labor for leadership activities.” “…usual best efforts type constraints.” “Agency involvement continues to ebb and flow depending on programmatic and strategic interests.” “Reporting through [XX]-VC brings visibility on it at agency levels.” “Difficulty seeing how we could generally support significantly broader themes in a meaningful way.” “Rigorous gap analysis does influence agency planning, particularly in areas where the agency has existing mandates.” “Strong engagement from thematic community is a must.” “”XXXST meetings offer a wide forum for interaction with users and agencies.” “Typically have a side meeting during the annual XXXST meeting but these are typically pulled together at the last minute because of travel uncertainties.”
Non-Attributional

8. Virtual Constellation Questionnaire Key Statements (con’t)
“In an effort to coordinate satellite…orbits…successfully engaged [agency] to consider and implement orbit adjustments for their [agency] mission to better optimize the …constellation. While other mission parameters restricted what adjustments could be made, this effort was still a success.” “Although connecting EO with societal benefit is a noble and important objective, the raison d’etre of CEOS, i.e. sustainment and enhancement of satellite EO, should remain paramount.” “The involvement of China is still limited which calls for more cross-participation of scientists, exchange on science knowledge, and open data policies.” “Bottom line, yes there is effective interagency coordination and contribution to the VC. There is of course room for improvement, especially in the area of contribution.” The main challenges the XX-VC faces have mostly to do with getting people to the annual face-to-face meeting.” “No single XX product meet all user requirements,…a suite of products with different temporal and spatial resolutions from different kinds of sensors are needed.”
Non-Attributional

9. Group Health and Viability
SIT Assessment
Health of leadership, contribution and engagement from CEOS Agencies, meeting processes and active link to CEOS were all reviewed
Significant churn in Ocean VC leadership, including substantial dormant period for some but new opportunity to re-invigorate
Question as to VC activity for some beyond one or two key individuals

10. Group Health and Viability
SIT Assessment
Distinct operation of OST-VC and OSVW-VC, other than in related science teams to be clarified
P-VC activity beyond NASA-JAXA leads and meeting attendance unknown
Meeting cadence and scheduling need to be deconflicted

11. VC/WG Outputs Cited in 2018- 2020 CEOS Work Plan
NOTE: not all Deliverables are created equal!
WGs have well established Deliverables within CEOS WP
Ocean VCs have noticeably fewer Deliverables (nil for OST)
COVERAGE initiative has four Work Plan Deliverables that span Ocean VCs
Ocean VCs also cited in Blue Planet Deliverables
For comparison, ad hoc teams like GFOI and SDGs have ~3 Deliverables each in the Work Plan

12. VCs Asked to Provide Following Info to SIT (template)
Linkages to CEOS Work Plan (e.g., action numbers), open SIT and Plenary Actions
Indication of required decisions and discussion points
Team Achievements and Planned Outcomes –
Major past achievements/planned future outputs that contribute to global observing architecture and national planning purposes e.g., datasets, products, standards, architecture studies, gap analyses
Synergies Amongst Teams (e.g. VC-VC, VC-WG, other)
Obstacles/barriers to progress and suggestions on how to overcome
Sustainable Commitment
Identify the active agencies in your team and whether this implies a viable team for your objectives
How frequently does your team physically meet?
Are their any obstacles to the future viability of your team meeting its objectives?
Proactive Consideration of Plenary and SIT TWS Deliverables and Discussion Items

13. 2017 SIT TWS Actions SIT TWS Action 2017-15 SIT TWS Action 2017-16
Due Date

14. 30th CEOS Plenary Actions
Due Date

15. Discussion Seeds – for Later
For each entity, what action is necessary to ensure the necessary leadership, engagement and connection to the CEOS objectives?
Should we (can we) achieve greater specificity in tangible outcomes from each entity (as appropriate)?
Is more direction required to maximize the value of VC/WG outputs for CEOS objectives and in support of individual CEOS agency objectives (like planning processes)?
How realistic are these ambitions given operating realities – and what further support would be needed in each case?

16. Session 3 Agenda 3.1, 20 min: Session Introduction (Steve Volz)
3.2, 10 min: SST-VC (Ken Casey)
3.3, 10 min: OSVW-VC (Eric Lindstrom)
3.4, 10 min: OCR-VC (Ewa Kwiatkowska*)
3.5, 10 min: OST-VC (Juliette Lambin)
3.6, 10 min: P-VC (Steve Neeck*)
3.7, 10 min: AC-VC (Jay Al-Saadi)
3.8, 10 min: LSI-VC (Jenn Lacey)
3.9, 5 min: Discussion (Main discussion to follow WG session)
Session 4: WGs
3.10/4.7, 30 min:
Session 3 / 4 Virtual Constellations and Working Groups Wrap-up
Sustaining activity, WG framework support to VCs, Support to agency mission planning, Broader observing strategy, 2018 activities