Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

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OBSERVING THE EARTH FROM SPACE
C. Funding
The DOC - WB will submit requests for annual appropriations to carry out
NOMSS. The DOC - WB will develop the plans and budget estimates and the justification
thereof, with the assistance and support of NASA and user agencies, as appropriate. At the
beginning of each fiscal year, or as soon thereafter as funds are appropriated, or as program
changes require, the DOC - WB will issue a reimbursement order to NASA for the
full amount of funds required for the execution of the NASA portion of the program in
accordance with the approved project proposal prepared under this agreement. NASA
will account to DOC - WB for the funds so transferred. NASA also will provide necessary
reports to the DOC - WB regarding the proposed and actual commitments, obligations
and expenditure of these funds, so that DOC - WB [4] may meet its fiscal responsibilities
with respect to the funds appropriated to it or otherwise received.
D. Functional Responsibilities
The functions of the DOC - WB and NASA in the conduct of NOMSS are as follows:
1. The Department of Commerce - Weather Bureau shall:
a. Determine overall meteorological program requirements (including cost
and schedule).
b. Specify quantities to be measured by satellite meteorological instruments.
c. Approve Project Development Plan and changes involving schedules,
resources, interfaces, and performance.
d. Monitor the performance of the system for meeting meteorological
requirements.
e. Determine the need for replacing a spacecraft that has experienced marginal
failure in providing meteorological data.
f. Operate the Weather Bureau Command and Data Acquisition [CDA]
Stations, including control of the operational satellite after NASA has
determined that the satellite is ready for operational use.
[5] g. Manage meteorological data analysis activities at the CDA stations.
h. Communicate operational data from CDA stations to [the National
Weather Service Center and the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)]
and others, as appropriate.
i. Process data for integration into weather analyses.
j. Disseminate data, analyses and forecasts.
k. Archive the information (processing, storage, retrieval).
l. Use the data for research and climatological purposes.
m. Conduct system studies as required to meet its responsibilities.
2. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall:
a. Prepare the Project Development Plan.
b. Design, engineer, procure and qualify flight spacecraft.
c. Select and procure launch vehicles.
d. Maintain and operate launch sites.
e. Design, construct, and insure initial operational status of Command and
Data Acquisition stations.
f. Prepare the pre-launch of spacecraft and launch vehicle.
g. Conduct launch operations.
[6] h. Track and determine basic orbit during the useful life of the satellite.
i. Monitor the engineering status of the satellite and command the satellite
during initial time in orbit, and, as requested, during periods of
malfunction using the Weather Bureau Command and Data Acquisition
stations.
j. Consult, as appropriated, on technical matters.