HR: 1340h
AN: IN23B-1218    [Abstracts]
TI: Developing Remote Sensing Applications Through an Engineering Life Cycle Development Approach
AU: * Kalluri, S
EM: satya_kalluri@Raytheon.com
AF: Raytheon, 1616 McCormick Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 United States
AU: Gilruth, P
EM: Peter_T_Gilruth@Raytheon.com
AF: Raytheon, 1616 McCormick Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 United States
AB: Remote sensing applications have become an integral part of several federal and state government agencies for the monitoring and management of natural resources, land use planning and disaster mitigation. Traditionally, remote sensing applications were developed within the academic research community and these algorithms were adopted by the users for various applications. However, it is not a common practice within the academic environment to involve the end users in all stages of the research and development process. During 2000-2005, NASA funded several remote sensing application development projects under the Synergy program to promote the use of Earth Observing System (EOS) satellite data within the federal, state and local agencies. Several universities were funded around the US to develop applications in precision agriculture, management of water and other natural resources, urban planning, disaster mitigation and human health. Each application was aimed at providing spatial datasets derived from EOS satellites as decision aid tools for users within various agencies. One of the important lessons learned within this project was that a planned life cycle development improves the transition of remote sensing research to operations. The application lifecycle can be broadly divided into three stages: user needs and technical feasibility analysis, prototype development, and production and deployment. There are several checks within each phase to ensure that the final operational system adequately meets users needs. Metrics were instituted to track how the applications were being used and to plan improvements. While metrics such as web hits and data downloads could be automated and quantified, other metrics such as benefits to society and environment, impacts on policy, and other institutional benefits were difficult to quantify and monetize. Nonetheless, the metrics were useful for project management and to achieve project goals. Specific examples of applications from the Synergy program are presented here to describe the application life cycle process.
DE: 9800 GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS
SC: Earth and Space Science Informatics [IN]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005