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February 28, 2007

GCRIO Program Overview

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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 5, NUMBER 6, JUNE 1992

REPORTS...
EOS DATA AND INFORMATION CENTER (EOSDIS)

(See News, this GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE DIGEST issue--June 1992.)

Item #d92jun92

Earth Observing System: NASA's EOSDIS Development Approach is Risky (GAO/IMTEC-92-24), 36 pp., Feb. 25, 1992, no charge. U.S. General Accounting Office, POB 6015, Gaithersburg MD 20877 (202-275-6241).

NASA's plans to process, store and distribute information generated by EOS fall short in identifying and mitigating the technological risks inherent in a project of such scope and complexity. The contract for EOSDIS should not be awarded until NASA further develops its approach, and NASA should work to maximize cooperation with other federal agencies and programs with appropriate experience, so that it does not risk the need for future costly modifications.

Item #d92jun93

National Research Council Panel to Review EOSDIS Plans--Interim Report, 30 pp., Apr. 9, 1992. Inquire with Off. News & Public Info., NRC, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington DC 20418 (202-334-2138).

In general, the panel sees no serious risk to the EOSDIS program due to unavailable or inadequate technology. However, there are risks in two aspects of planning: (1) NASA must plan how EOSDIS will evolve to continue to be a useful system as computer and data management technology change over the 15-year program; (2) program management will involve a complex mix of government, contractors, and a scientific community that is diverse and spread around the world. The panel suggests a number of approaches it believes will help define these roles and interactions.