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GPM continues to progress towards the Mission Preliminary Design Review (PDR), scheduled for this calendar year, providing there are no major hiccups in the NASA FY06 budget plan to be released next month. Since our last newsletter, the project has achieved several major objectives. In December, GPM successfully conducted its System Definition Review (SDR), and the Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument passed Design Readiness Review #1 (click here to view article about DPR progress). The SDR is a major project milestone—the first since our System Readiness Review in June 2002. Passing these reviews signifies that both the mission as a whole and the DPR are ready to embark on the preliminary design phase of development. The next major GPM milestone will be the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument PDR, scheduled for this June, followed by the Core Spacecraft PDR in the September 2006 timeframe. In addition, NASA recently authorized GPM to include high frequency channels on the GMI instrument. Observations from these channels will enable scientists to monitor snowfall and light rain in an unprecedented manner (click here to learn details about the new GMI capabilities). Furthermore, GPM selected vendors to perform studies regarding the Core Spacecraft Avionics Package (AP). We awarded two contracts, one to Orbital Sciences Corporation and the other to General Dynamics Spectrum Astro Division. These studies will investigate the optimal scope of the avionics development for the Core Spacecraft. Recall that Core Spacecraft development will be a hybrid endeavor, involving both in-house work at Goddard and out-of-house commercial industry efforts (view previous issue to read an article on the Hybrid Approach to development). Following these studies, the project will issue an implementation phase procurement, whereupon we will select a single vendor to develop the AP. As you can see, we ended 2005 on a strong note, and hope to build
on that momentum as we head into 2006. The scope of work planned
for 2006 is huge—including the GMI PDR, Core Spacecraft PDR,
Mission PDR, and perhaps the Mission Confirmation Review (all contingent
on the approved budget)—but our present course and the highly
skilled and motivated team we have in place bode well for a successful
year. John Durning GPM Project
Formulation Manager |
