NOAA relies on orbiting satellites to collect data for Climate Data Records (CDR). However, these satellites degrade over time and can be at risk of failing. Degradation or failure of critical space instruments can cause interruptions in Earth’s climate system data, disrupting the ongoing record collection.
In support of NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, CSS program manager for CDR proactively managed product transitions that were impacted from major instrument upgrades. This included the retirement of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) satellite sensor, AMSR2, that is used to track sea ice as well as the decommissioning of the NOAA POES sensor in 2025, which was used in many CDRs. CSS coordinated with data centers and external partners to align these aging satellite feeds with the new satellite feeds, providing upgraded CDRs to advance the monitoring of the Earth’s systems. This proactive risk management ensures downstream users can depend on CDRs for their decision-making needs.
Learn more about NOAA’s Climate Data Records.
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