Q&A with Shawn Miller, Chief Architect JPSS CGS, Raytheon

Last Updated: 01/03/2013*

Q: Please describe your role as Chief Architect for JPSS-CGS.

Typically, a Chief Architect for a deployed and operating system is limited to governance activities, such as ensuring hardware or software architectural issues are resolved and solutions are captured into the technical baseline. This guarantees we have a continual understanding of our system and its performance.

However, Raytheon is leveraging key opportunities on the JPSS CGS program, including transitioning the contract from NPOESS to JPSS and our lessons learned from the first year of Suomi NPP operations in order to evolve the CGS architecture in significant ways, enabling it to offer multi-mission support for national and international missions. Therefore, while overseeing our understanding of the current system, I also provide technical guidance and leadership helping ensure the CGS architecture evolves and expands its multi-mission capability, within the ever-present constraints of budget and schedule. 

Q: What makes JPSS CGS such an important program for our nation?

Regional and local weather forecasts must draw from what is happening in the Earth's atmosphere on a global scale - a concept often expressed as the "butterfly effect".  The weather in a particular location is impacted by things that are happening far from that location. Therefore it’s vital we continually monitor the atmosphere and oceans on a global scale, which can only be achieved through the use of polar orbiting spacecraft such as Suomi NPP (on orbit now) and JPSS-1 (to be launched in 2017). 

Q: For those who may not be too familiar with JPSS CGS, can you please explain why it is considered such an advancement over existing Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites?

The existing POES satellites have done an excellent job supporting operational weather forecasting; however leveraging NASA's EOS satellites and similar international efforts, scientists have been able to demonstrate significantly more accurate environmental data products using the capabilities of a new generation of satellite-based instruments.  With the next generation weather satellites, weather forecasting capabilities are improving, increasing the lead time on accurate precipitation estimates and reducing the cone of uncertainty for a hurricane's projected path, which ultimately helps save lives and protect property.

Q: JPSS CGS currently supports five domestic and international missions so can you please talk about how the system’s flexible architecture allows it to quickly adapt to changing mission needs.

When first conceived and designed in the NPOESS era, the charter of the CGS was focused on managing and providing data processing and delivery for Suomi NPP and the follow-on operational environmental polar orbiters for NOAA and the DoD. As launch approached for Suomi NPP, Raytheon, NASA and NOAA realized that the CGS had established a global network infrastructure that could benefit a number of additional missions, providing an opportunity to strengthen both national and international partnerships for weather and climate monitoring. As we move into the future, we are enhancing the front end of the CGS to provide the capability for accelerated incorporation of new missions. 
 

 

 

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