The Hybridspectral Alternative for Remote Profiling of Optical Observations for NASA Satellites (HARPOONS) project is a research effort to develop and test an innovative, relatively simple and inexpensive in-situ vicarious calibration system for the PACE ocean color mission. HARPOONS consists of an advanced optical profiler tethered to a Liquid Robotics, Inc. Wave Glider SV3, the world’s first hybrid wave and solar propelled unmanned ocean autonomous vehicle. The goal of HARPOONS is to meet or exceed all the vicarious calibration requirements set forth by the PACE Science Definition Team and the NNH14ZDA001N-OBB solicitation by combining various mature in situ optical instrument and autonomous ocean-going platform technologies developed by NASA and industry. The project’s aim is to be less expensive than current vicarious calibration systems, and much easier to deploy and maintain. The resulting inexpensive and low manpower operational logistics opens the possibility of eventually deploying multiple HARPOONS systems around the globe offering a larger number of satellite to in situ observation match-ups over a larger range of view angles and aerosols conditions than those offered by current systems.
There are three main activities:
- Maturation of an above-water radiometer for mounting on a Wave Glider autonomous vehicle
- Integration of an optical profiler to a Wave Glider
- Testing of the integrated system off Lanai, Hawaii, and further testing of the system under full operational conditions off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico.
The project will use best practices in developing and testing of optical instrumentations as documented by NASA and our industry partners. The period of performance will be three years (October 2014-September 2017). The entry Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for this system is 3, due to sub-systems in development, but most subsystems are TRL 6 and above. The expected exit system TRL will be > 6 because we will demonstrate the capabilities of HARPOONS under normal operational conditions over the course of a full annual cycle.