DSCOVR/Triana/Goresat Is Ready For Launch
DSCOVR Is Finally Poised for Liftoff, extending critical space weather alerts, forecasts, NOAA
“Formerly known as Triana, DSCOVR was initially planned in the late 1990s as a NASA Earth science mission that would image Earth in 10 spectral bands and measure how much energy was being reflected and emitted from Earth. Seven years later, NOAA and the Air Force worked with NASA to remove DSCOVR from storage so the spacecraft and instruments could be tested to verify their flight readiness. NOAA funded NASA to refurbish the DSCOVR satellite and instruments. The U.S. Air Force is funding and overseeing the launch of the spacecraft.”
– GoreSat Lives – Again and Again and Again (Chronology)
– GoreSat Is Back
– Earlier Goresat postings
DISCOVR launch is penciled in for January 13, 2015 on a Falcon 9(R?) from pad 40
Over half a billion spent on this thing …..
Most of NASA’s funding for DSCOVR was spent well over 10 years ago (whether you feel the spending was justified or not). Keep in mind that the bulk of funding since then (including the launch) has come from NOAA and the Air Force; apparently these two agencies have deemed that the space weather part of “this thing” is critically needed to replace the way-past-their-prime instruments already at the L1 point. I imagine your half billion includes these costs ($100 million for the launch alone).
As for the Earth viewing part of the mission, the instruments are along for the ride, and NASA is only putting in a modest effort at utilizing the data from them.
I’d say that, all things considered, it’s a better use of an already paid for satellite than just letting it sit on a shelf.
I believe NASA Earth Science paid for the refurbishment of the earth sciences instruments. NOAA paid for the work on the heliophysics instrumentation.
This is great news. Get that thing up there!