1. SIT Chair 2018-2019 Priorities and SIT-33 Objectives
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
SIT Chair Priorities and SIT-33 Objectives
Steve Volz, CEOS SIT Chair
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
CEOS SIT-33
Session 1, Agenda Item 1.4
Boulder, CO, USA
24 – 25 April 2018

2. SIT-33 Expectation – What do We Want to Accomplish
Assess how CEOS can serve space agency needs and organize itself to capitalize on the significant opportunities before us for satellite Earth observations in the service of society.
What can CEOS bring to Members and Associates?
What can CEOS Agencies provide to CEOS as a whole to specific activities and requests from external partners?
Identify specific work activities that can be addressed and realized over the next four months in anticipation of SIT Technical Workshop and 31st CEOS and GEO-XV Plenaries.

3. SIT Chair 2018-2019 Priorities at SIT-33
Ensure the efficient execution of existing SIT responsibilities as described in the SIT Terms of Reference, including addressing Working Group and Virtual Constellation (VC) continuity, sustainability, and outputs, including:
Undertaking gap analyses for each VC, to support ongoing and likely upcoming strategic Agency observatory decisions;
Seeking observations from VCs and WGs on best practices and possible modifications to existing practices.
Enhance the utility of new observations from next generation of geostationary satellites and exploring development of LEO/GEO combination products and data processing capabilities.

4. SIT Chair 2018-2019 Priorities at SIT-33
Improve and clarify CEOS relationships with CGMS, GEO, and to a lesser degree WMO, by identifying coordinated activities and, where appropriate, holistic interaction among CEOS, CGMS, GEO, and WMO, emphasizing the unique values of each.
Identify and focus on areas of appropriate and productive collaboration.
Take stock of trends and future directions so that CEOS can best serve the needs of its Agencies and execute its role most productively alongside CGMS, GEO, and WMO
Identify appropriate and productive engagement approaches with commercial sector in the process.
Support initiatives undertaken by CEOS Chairs in and 2019.

5. SIT-33 Structure
Day 1 (Tuesday 24th) is focused on the transfer of information, communicating agency near-term and long-term future plans, emerging activities, building common understanding of implementation activities across CEOS through the Virtual Constellations and Working Groups and discussion.
Day 2 (Wednesday 25th) is focused on broader strategic discussions, linkages across CEOS work, mapping the work of CEOS to other partners (e.g., GEO), and concluding CEOS business.

6. Virtual Constellation and Working Group Session (3 and 4)
Day One
Strategic Directions and Partnerships for CEOS
Virtual Constellation and Working Group Session (3 and 4)
Establish a clearer overall CEOS observing system assessment and desired observing strategies, which might serve as an input to CEOS Agency mission planning processes currently, or soon to be underway, for next generation Earth observing systems.
Emerging and Ongoing Activities Session (5)
Advancement of ongoing CEOS commitments and support to other global initiatives and activities such as water, climate, carbon. Discuss future mission plans in the context of viewing 5 to 15 years down the road and identifying areas where CEOS can contribute to agency decisions.

7. Partnership Session (7)
Day Two
Strategic Directions and Partnerships for CEOS
Ad hoc Team Session (6)
Reflect and report on ad hoc team trajectory and lifecycle in relation to the thematic initiatives each support and present a clear understanding on outlook and evolution of those teams, including, if appropriate, long-term, sustained operations and the expectation for CEOS and CEOS Member Agency participation.
Partnership Session (7)
Focus on further development of the CEOS relationship with CGMS, in part based on the success of the joint CEOS-CGMS WGClimate and ensure a sustained and productive coordination with GEO and well-understood mapping of CEOS priorities to the GEO Work Programme and identifying areas where CEOS Agencies will be requested to support.