Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

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OBSERVING THE EARTH FROM SPACE
[9] 3. The DOC - WB may conduct sensor development but will maintain close liaison
with NASA to ensure compatibility with future spacecraft configurations.
C. Funding
NASA will fund for the supporting technology for operational meteorological
satellite development programs.
D. Management Procedures
1. Supporting technology for Operational Meteorological Satellite programs is
the responsibility of the Office of Space Science and Applications, in NASA Headquarters.
2. NASA will maintain a coordinating mechanism whereby the contributions of
the Weather Bureau and other competent agencies can be considered in the development
program. It will consist of five members, two nominated by NASA (Chairman), two by the
Weather Bureau, and one representing the non-Government meteorological community.
3. The NASA, after considering the advice of the coordinating mechanism, will
choose, and allocate space in meteorological satellites for flight tests of experimental
meteorological sensors. NASA will fund for these tests, including the costs of flight hardware
beyond the preprototype stage, but the execution will be the responsibility of the
experimenting agency.
[10] E. Data
1. Data from proven meteorological sensors flown in NASA research and development
meteorological satellites, such as TIROS camera data and Nimbus AVCS data, will
be made available at the request of the Weather Bureau for operational use on a cost reimbursable
basis, for such added costs as may result from the operational requirement.
2. Data from experimental meteorological sensors flown in NASA R&D meteorological
satellites, such as the Nimbus HRIR and other new sensor developments of
potential operational use, will be made available to the Weather Bureau as soon as practicable
on a non-interference basis to NASA missions for the conduct of operational experiments.
In the case of these data, the experimenting agency retains exclusive publication
rights for a period of eighteen months, but the Weather Bureau may conduct operational
experiments during this period with the proviso that dissemination of these data is
restricted to such purposes and that scientific publication will not result without the concurrence
of the experimenter. NASA will be reimbursed for all additional costs incurred
in making such data available to the Weather Bureau.
SECTION IV. METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE PROGRAM REVIEW BOARD
A Meteorological Satellite Program Review Board is hereby established. [11] The
Board is composed of two members each from NASA and DOC - WB with the Associate
Administrator for Space Science and Applications of NASA and the Chief of the Weather
Bureau serving as co-chairmen. The Board will meet quarterly or at the request of either
co-chairman to review the program and consider any substantive issues which may arise.
It may make recommendations to the DOC - WB on the resolution of issues concerning
the operational programs, and to the NASA concerning the responsiveness of the NASA
R&D program to the needs of NOMSS. Either chairman may refer any issue to the
Associate Administrator of NASA and to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Science
and Technology for resolution.