• Earth Sciences.
• Astrophysics.
• Heliophysics.
• Planetary Sciences.
• Communications.
• Crosscutting Technologies.
This support involves a number of vehicle types; for example, aircraft, spacecraft and suborbital vehicles including rockets and balloons. The division that
supports this effort is the Instrument Systems and Technology Division (ISTD)
that is part of the Engineering and Technology Directorate (ETD).
The ISTD is involved in the full life cycle of flight instrument development and
it provides engineering expertise in optics, cryogenics and fluids, detector systems, lasers and electro-optics, and microwave instruments. With some 200 engineers, physicists and technicians, the ISTD team collaborates with international
science and exploration communities to develop innovative technologies, new
means of making measurements, advanced instrument concepts, proposals for
instruments, and revolutionary flight instruments.
They provide leadership and vision in developing and implementing technology programs, and collaborating closely with the science community and customers to identify new and emerging instrument technology requirements. Technologies
range from subsystems such as optical assemblies, detectors, cryogenic coolers,
and lasers, to complete instruments such as hyper-spectral imagers, high spectral
resolution spectrometers, atmospheric sounders, microwave radiometers, and
lidars. ISTD welcomes collaborations with other Goddard Directorates, NASA
Centers, other government and international agencies, industry and academia in
establishing research programs, new technology development, and all phases of
the instrument development.
Studies of the Earth’s atmosphere require a comprehensive set of observations
that rely on instruments flown on spacecraft, aircraft, and balloons, as well as
those deployed on the surface. Laboratories and offices of the Earth Sciences
Division-Atmospheres at GSFC have an active program of instrument system
development and observational studies that provide:
• Information leading to a basic understanding of atmospheric processes and
their relationships with the climate system.
• Prototypes for future flight instruments.
• Instruments to serve as calibration references for satellite missions.
• Instruments for future field validation campaigns that support ongoing
space missions.
The Atmospheres Program has well-equipped laboratories and test equipment
to support the development and testing of instrument systems such as a radiometric calibration and development facility to support the calibration of ultraviolet
and visible space-borne solar backscatter instruments.
158 Scientific Flight Types
• Astrophysics.
• Heliophysics.
• Planetary Sciences.
• Communications.
• Crosscutting Technologies.
This support involves a number of vehicle types; for example, aircraft, spacecraft and suborbital vehicles including rockets and balloons. The division that
supports this effort is the Instrument Systems and Technology Division (ISTD)
that is part of the Engineering and Technology Directorate (ETD).
The ISTD is involved in the full life cycle of flight instrument development and
it provides engineering expertise in optics, cryogenics and fluids, detector systems, lasers and electro-optics, and microwave instruments. With some 200 engineers, physicists and technicians, the ISTD team collaborates with international
science and exploration communities to develop innovative technologies, new
means of making measurements, advanced instrument concepts, proposals for
instruments, and revolutionary flight instruments.
They provide leadership and vision in developing and implementing technology programs, and collaborating closely with the science community and customers to identify new and emerging instrument technology requirements. Technologies
range from subsystems such as optical assemblies, detectors, cryogenic coolers,
and lasers, to complete instruments such as hyper-spectral imagers, high spectral
resolution spectrometers, atmospheric sounders, microwave radiometers, and
lidars. ISTD welcomes collaborations with other Goddard Directorates, NASA
Centers, other government and international agencies, industry and academia in
establishing research programs, new technology development, and all phases of
the instrument development.
Studies of the Earth’s atmosphere require a comprehensive set of observations
that rely on instruments flown on spacecraft, aircraft, and balloons, as well as
those deployed on the surface. Laboratories and offices of the Earth Sciences
Division-Atmospheres at GSFC have an active program of instrument system
development and observational studies that provide:
• Information leading to a basic understanding of atmospheric processes and
their relationships with the climate system.
• Prototypes for future flight instruments.
• Instruments to serve as calibration references for satellite missions.
• Instruments for future field validation campaigns that support ongoing
space missions.
The Atmospheres Program has well-equipped laboratories and test equipment
to support the development and testing of instrument systems such as a radiometric calibration and development facility to support the calibration of ultraviolet
and visible space-borne solar backscatter instruments.
158 Scientific Flight Types