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Earth Science National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Technology
Office
Executive Summary
As you’ll read in the pages that follow, 2021 was another full and productive year for technology
development at the NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), with numerous successes
advancing new technologies for Earth science as well as the competitive selection of new projects.
For the second year in a row, the Earth Science Technology Forum (ESTF2021) was held virtually
due to COVID-19 restrictions. We were pleased to have Dr. Karen St. Germain, Director for Earth
Science at NASA, kick off the eight ESTF2021 sessions, held late May through early July.
In fiscal year 2021 (FY21), ESTO continued to build upon its 24-year heritage of technology
development. This year, 39% of active ESTO technology projects advanced at least one Technology
Readiness Level (TRL), and as many as 20 active and completed projects were transitioned to
follow-on development efforts or infused into Earth observing missions, operations, or commercial
applications. We are particularly proud to report that at least 104 students – high school through
PhD – were directly involved in ESTO-funded projects this year.
New projects were added through competitive solicitations under the Advanced Component
Technology (ACT) and the In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) program
elements, in December 2020 and June 2021 respectively. And as of publication, three program
elements – the Instrument Incubator Program (IIP), the Advanced Information Systems Technology
(AIST) program, and the Decadal Survey Incubation (DSI) program – expect to announce new
awards in early FY 2022. We welcome these new cohorts of technologists and look forward to the
contributions they will make.
Finally, it is with great sadness that we note the sudden passing of our colleague, Dr. Gail
Skofronick-Jackson, in September. Gail was a brilliant scientist and served as a Weather and
Atmospheric Dynamics Program Manager within the NASA Earth Science Division, where she was
a consistent champion for technology development. She also worked closely with ESTO on many
efforts, including as Program Scientist for the Planetary Boundary Layer observable through the
Decadal Survey Incubation program. For all who wish to memorialize Gail, a scholarship for science
and electrical engineering students has been established in her name at Florida State University
(learn more: spark.fsu.edu/GailSkofronickJackson).
Pamela S. Millar Robert A. Bauer
Program Director Deputy Program Director
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ABOUT
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As the technology development function On beSa
within NASA’s Earth Science Division, the
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performs strategic planning and manages
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the development of a broad range of
ESTO
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nascent technologies for future science
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measurements. ESTO employs an open, flexible,
science-driven strategy and relies on competition
and peer review to select the best cutting-edge
technologies, from advanced sensors aboard
miniature satellites to software tools that plan new
observations and harmonize, fuse, and analyze
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large data sets from various sources.
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Our approach to Technology Development:
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Strategy: Engage with the Earth science
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community to plan investments through
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Table of rb ts
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careful analyses of science requirements
Contents te Te orne
Selection: Fund technology development
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through periodic, competitive solicitations p. 4 ESTO Metrics
and partnership opportunities ed
Management: Review and advise funded p. 7 Program Updates
technology projects on progress and
performance p. 12 Technology Highlights
Infusion: Encourage and facilitate the
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use of mature technologies in science p. 34 Student Participation
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Metrics
2021 GOAL 2 :
Project Highlights :
With over 1,000 technology investments made since 1999 and an
active portfolio of 136 projects during FY21 (October 1, 2020, through
September 30, 2021), ESTO drives innovation, enables future Earth
UWBRAD
The Ultra WideBand software defined microwave RADiometer
science measurements, and strengthens NASA’s reputation for
(UWBRAD) instrument developed under the 2013 Instrument
developing and advancing leading-edge technologies. To clarify
Incubator Program solicitation was deployed with support from
ESTO’s FY21 achievements, what follows are the year’s results tied to
the National Science Foundation as part of the international
our performance metrics.
Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic
GOAL 1 : Annually advance 25% of currently funded technology Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. MOSAiC was conducted to
projects at least one Technology Readiness Level (TRL). investigate the Arctic processes and evolution of ocean-ice-
atmosphere system in the polar region.
FY21 Result : 39% of ESTO technology projects funded during FY21 advanced one
or more TRLs over the course of the fiscal year. Eight of these projects
advanced more than one TRL. Although the percentage of TRL
25%
EZIE Infusions
Goal 57
advancements tends to be higher in years with large
53 % numbers of completing projects, ESTO has consistently
% 50
% met or exceeded this metric in every fiscal In late 2020, the Electrojet Zeeman Imaging
39 39 41 40 39 39 year since inception. The average annual
% % Explorer (EZIE) mission was selected by NASA’s
% % % % TRL advancement for all years going back
29 39% 39% Heliophysics Science Division to explore
% to 1999 is 42%. electric currents in Earth’s atmosphere that
link the aurora to the magnetosphere. Led by
the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, EZIE
FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY will be comprised of three CubeSats flying in
03 05 07 9 11 13 15 17 19 19 21
19
formation and carrying payloads containing
Percentage of Active Projects that advanced at least 1 TRL during each Fiscal Year. millimeter radiometers with high-resolution
digital spectrometers. These payloads include
substantial heritage from technologies
GOAL 2 : Mature at least three technologies to the point where they can be
demonstrated in space or in a relevant operational environment.
originally developed through ESTO:
FY21 Result : In this fiscal year, at least 8 ESTO projects achieved infusion into
science measurements, airborne campaigns, data systems, or follow-
Project Highlights :
on development activities. Three notable
examples follow.
EcoSML
The Ecological Spectral Model Library (EcoSML) is
The analog front ends of the EZIE
radiometers are derived directly
The digital back ends were
developed for use on the CubeRRT
The overall digital design is
based on early work on an Agile
one of several tools developed under the Ecological from the TEMPEST-D (TEMPoral (CubeSat Radio Frequency Digital Detector by Chris Ruf at
Spectral Information System, a 2016 Advanced Experiment for Storms and Interference Radiometer the University of Michigan (who
Information Systems Technology project (PI: Phil Tropical systems–Demonstration, Technology, PI: Joel Johnson, Ohio is also serving as the EZIE Deputy
Townsend, University of Wisconsin). EcoSML PI: Steven Reising, Colorado State) CubeSat, which also launched Project Scientist), through a 2004
has been added to GitHub, a cloud-based service State) CubeSat, an Earth Venture in May 2018 and demonstrated on- award under the Instrument
that helps developers store and manage their Instrument launched in May 2018 to board, real-time Radio Frequency Incubator Program that has enjoyed
code, enabling researchers to share models and demonstrate observations of cloud Interference (RFI) processing from widespread infusion, including by
facilitating the use of spectral data by the larger and precipitation processes. space. the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer
scientific community. (HIRAD) airborne instrument.
05
ESTO 2021 Metrics
GOAL 3 : Enable a new science measurement or significantly
Program
improve the performance of an existing technique.
FY21 Result : Several projects satisfied this goal in FY21.
2021
One notable example follows:
Compact Hyperspectral
Prism Spectrometer
The Compact Hyperspectral be launched as a secondary payload,
Updates
Prism Spectrometer (CHPS), a perhaps on an ESPA Grande ring,
new instrument developed at Ball rather than as a standalone mission
Aerospace (Principal Investigator: The flight tests, which totaled
Thomas Kampe), was put through a about 40 hours on a Twin Otter out of
series of test flights in 2019 and 2020 Grand Junction, Colorado, produced
aboard a Twin Otter aircraft in order high-quality science data which was
to demonstrate the technology for processed to Level 1B. Concepts for a
future Landsat missions. The compact spaceborne instrument, potentially
spectrometer could help maintain aboard a future Landsat mission, CHPS instrument integration
Landsat’s legacy of accurate and stable were also developed and provided to onto a Twin Otter aircraft in
calibration – key to developing new NASA and USGS as part of the 2020 Grand Junction, CO. Credits:
hyperspectral approaches for a broad Architecture Study Team project. Thomas Kampe / Ball Aerospace
range of science investigations, from
surface ecology and biodiversity
studies to water quality monitoring
Decadal Survey
and land use analysis.
CHPS features low stray light
Incubation
and low polarization sensitivity,
improvements made possible by The newest program element
careful instrument design and the managed by ESTO, Decadal Survey
use of a prism in place of gratings. Incubation (DSI), seeks to accelerate In 2020, two study teams were
A new broadband anti-reflection the readiness of two high-priority competitively selected to “identify
coating applied to the prism elements observables needing science- methods and activities for improving
helps to minimize transmission losses requirements refinement, technology the understanding of and advancing
and reflections, and the CHPS team development, and/or other the maturity of the technologies
developed a novel prism alignment advancements prior to cost-effective applicable to these two targeted
method. As a result, a spaceborne flight implementation. As its name observables and their associated
version of CHPS is small enough to suggests, DSI was recommended science and applications priorities.”
by the National Academies in the Each team produced a report
An example of CHPS data, 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey that helped inform the first DSI
taken over the USGS survey site to target the Planetary Boundary solicitation for proposals, released
at Crested Butte, CO. Spectral Layer (PBL) and Surface Topography in FY21. Awards are expected in
bands were combined to create and Vegetation (STV) areas. These FY22. For more information on DSI,
the RGB image. The Level 1B two fields are complex and dynamic the study team reports, and the
CHPS data provides geolocated systems with important science solicitation, visit: https://esto.nasa.
continuous spectra over the full objectives and societal applications. gov/incubation/.
450-2300 nm band for each pixel, Advancing technology to support
enabling selection of any ground these areas will improve observational
location for spectral information. capabilities that may unlock new
Inset shows spectra corresponding insights into a wide variety of Earth
to the three locations noted in the processes.
image: snow (blue), soil (green),
and evergreen trees (magenta).
07
ESTO 2021 Program Updates
Advanced Information In-space Validation of Earth
Systems Technology Science Technologies
NASA’s vision for future Earth
observations necessitates the
development of emerging technologies capable of making (InVEST) program facilitates the space demonstration of
Advanced information systems develop and evolve new ways of combined with ground-based and
play a leading role in the collection, designing novel Earth observation airborne-derived data, provide new or improved Earth science measurements. Promising technology projects that cannot be sufficiently evaluated
processing, integration, analysis, systems and capabilities to comprehensive information that new capabilities, however, bring complexity and risk, on the ground or through airborne testing. Once validated
understanding, and utilization of vast incorporate technological advances, can improve science understanding. and for some technologies there remains a critical need in space, technologies are generally more adoptable, even
amounts of Earth science data, both like constellations of small satellites Scientists can utilize these agile for validation in the hazardous environment of space. beyond their intended use.
in space, in situ or on the ground. and smarter sensors, and information analytic frameworks, which ESTO’s In-space Validation of Earth Science Technologies
Advanced computer intelligence dynamically gathered from space, enhance and enable focused science The Aerosol Radiometer for Global
and technology concepts that
enable novel acquisition, discovery,
air, and ground-based sources. We
have more observation capabilities
investigations using disparate datasets
and pioneering visualization and
12 Projects Observation of the Stratosphere
(ARGOS) Instrument – Matthew
Active in FY21 s
ct
fusion, and analytics strategies for and tools than ever before, providing analytics tools including machine DeLand, Science Systems And
e Applications, Inc.
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terabytes of diverse data are essential researchers with an arsenal of data- learning as well as relevant computing
to NASA’s vision of a distributed collecting possibilities. This thrust environments.
P r ARCSTONE: Calibration of Lunar
3 Adde
observational network. ESTO’s aims to develop architectures that In 2022, AIST will add a third focus Spectral Reflectance from Space –
Advanced Information Systems could autonomously coordinate and area: Earth System Digital Twins – Constantine Lukashin, NASA Langley
Technology (AIST) program employs integrate data from sensor webs, capabilities for developing integrated Research Center
an end-to-end approach to develop including small satellites and UAVs. Earth Science frameworks that
Active Cooling for Methane Earth
these critical technologies — from Technology advances are creating mirror the Earth with state-of-the-
Sensors – Charles Swenson, Utah State
space where the information pipeline opportunities to make these new art Earth system and human models
University
begins, to the end user where measurements and to continue others and simulations, timely and relevant
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knowledge is advanced. Recently, more effectively. observations, and analytic tools,
RainCube, A Precipitation Profiling Radar in a CubeSat –
ad
AIST has focused on the following Analytic Collaborative Frameworks enabling the exploration of various
Eva Peral, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Gr
areas: Once Earth observing missions are hypothetical and predictive scenarios.
1
New Observing Strategies in operation, very large amounts of
With each new Earth science data are collected. Data from different
measurement comes a new observing missions often have different formats
Sustainable Land Imaging -
system design. This thrust helps and diverse resolutions that, when
36 Projects
National Center for
Active in FY21 Technology For over 40 years, the Landsat series of satellites has been providing a
continuous stream of moderate resolution, multispectral images that
have been used by a broad range of specialists to analyze our world.
Supercomputing Applications
(NCSA) Data Fusion 13 Projects To continue the mission of Landsat, NASA initiated the Sustainable
Land Imaging – Technology (SLI-T) program to explore innovative
Visualization for NASA
CAMP2Ex Field Campaign –
Active in FY21 technologies to achieve Landsat-like data with more efficient
instruments, sensors, components, and methodologies.
Larry Di Girolamo, University
e s Long Wavelength Infrared Focal Plane Array
at
of Illinois at Urbana-
For Land Imaging – David Ting, Jet Propulsion
Champaign
d u Laboratory
NOS Study Sensorweb
G ra Advanced Technology Land Imaging
3
integration concepts – Dan Spectroradiometer (ATLIS) – Jeffery Puschell,
Crichton, Jet Propulsion Raytheon
Laboratory Compact Hyperspectral Prism Spectrometer –
e s Thomas Kampe, Ball Aerospace & Technologies
at
Automated Smart Instrument Corp
Tasking for NASA Urgent
du
ra
Reduced Envelope Multi-Spectral Imager – Dennis
Response – Cathleen Jones, Jet
G
Nicks, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp
Propulsion Laboratory
5 Multi-Spectral, Low-Mass, High-Resolution
Integrated Photonic Land Imaging Technology –
Ben Yoo, University of California, Davis
09
ESTO 2021 Program Updates
Observation
Carefully developed instrument and
Advanced Component
component technologies can reduce
the risk and cost of new scientific
Tech Technologies
observations with extended capabilities. ESTO’s strategy for observation technologies
focuses on new measurement approaches that can enable improved science capabilities Advanced Component Technologies (ACT) implements
and technologies to reduce the overall volume, mass, and operational complexity in technology developments to advance state-of-the-art
observing systems. Developing and validating novel observation technologies before instruments. The ACT program funds the research,
mission development improves their acceptance and infusion by mission planners and development, and demonstration of component- and W-Band RF-Photonics Receiver for
significantly reduces cost and schedule uncertainties. ESTO’s Observation Technology subsystem-level technologies to reduce the risk, cost, Compact Cloud and Precipitation
investments are divided among two main programs: the Instrument Incubator Program, size, mass, and development time of missions and Radars – Razi Ahmed, Jet Propulsion
infrastructure. Laboratory
and Advanced Component Technologies.
Photonic Lantern Interferometric
Instrument Incubator
Receiver for Remote Sensing
Applications – Rodrigo Amezcua
Correa, University of Central Florida
Program 25 Projects Advancing the Radio Frequency
The Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) provides funding for new
s Payload for a 3-D Lightning
instrument and observation techniques, from concept to breadboard
Active in FY21 e ct Geolocation Capability with a
oj
Constellation of CubeSats – Sonja
and flight demonstrations. Instrument technology development of
r Behnke, Los Alamos National Lab
P ed
this scale, outside of a flight project, consistently leads to smaller, less
2 d
A Compact, High-Power 167-174.8 GHz
resource-intensive instruments that reduce the costs and risks of mission
instrumentation. 1 A d Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier for
Planetary Boundary Layer Differential
Wideband Autocorrelation Absorption Radar – Kenneth
Radiometer Receiver Development Kreischer, Northrop Grumman
and Demonstration for Direct Systems Corporation
34 Projects Measurement of Terrestrial Snow
and Ice Accumulation– Roger De Roo, Ultra-Wideband Photonic
Spectrometer for PBL Sensing –
Active in FY21 University of Michigan
Next Generation GNSS Bistatic Radar
Thomas Dillon, Phase Sensitive
Innovations, Inc.
Receiver – Chris Ruf, University of
Michigan Visible to SWIR Fast eAPDs for
Panchromatic FTS Instrument –
ARCSTONE: Calibration of Lunar Arvind D’Souza, DRS Network &
Spectral Reflectance from Space – Imaging Systems, LLC
es
Constantine Lukashin, NASA Langley
Bandstructure Engineered Type-II
Research Center
t
ua
superlattice Antimonide Avalanche
Compact Midwave Imaging System-
a d Photodiodes (BETA-APD) for Space
Gr
Michael Kelly, Johns Hopkins Lidar Instruments – Sanjay Krishna,
University Applied Physics Laboratory Ohio State University
Advanced Development of a 2 Radar on a Chip – Lute Maleki,
Multi-Angle Stratospheric Aerosol OEwaves Inc.
Radiometer (MASTAR) – Matthew Carbon Absolute Electrical Substitution
DeLand, SSAI Miniaturized Microwave Absolute
Radiometers (CAESR) – David Harber, Calibration (MiniMAC) for Sounders
Multi-Band Radiometric Imager University of Colorado LASP and Imagers on SmallSat and CubeSat
Utilizing Uncooled Microbolometer P/I band multi-frequency reflectometry Platforms – Steven Reising, Colorado
Arrays with Piezo Backscan for Earth
s
antenna for a U-class constellation - State University
e Observation Mission Applications –
at
James Garrison, Purdue University Stacked Miniaturized And Radiation
Philip Ely, Leonardo DRS
d u Tolerant Intelligent Electronics
ra
3-D Global Winds: A high pulse rate, (SMARTIE) – James Yamaguchi, Irvine
G lower technology risk coherent wind Sensors Corporation
8 lidar for airborne science and a global
winds pathfinder mission – Michael Advanced SAPHIRA HgCdTe APD
Arrays for NASA Space Lidar
Kavaya, NASA Langley Research
Center Applications – Guangning Yang, NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas
Experiment (SAGE) IV Pathfinder Hyperspectral Imaging on Photonic-
– Robert Damadeo, NASA Langley Integrated-Circuits for Future
Research Center GeoCARB Missions – Ben Yoo,
University of California, Davis
11 11
ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — AIST
Air pollution kills approximately seven information about the air their citizens served the Obama Administration as an
Predicting
million people each year according to breathe. If air quality is poor, the city can appointed Open Data Evangelist, says
the World Health Organization (WHO). issue an advisory encouraging citizens to that her team will release their modeling
That’s a life lost every five seconds take precautions. software open-source on the popular
to a variety of preventable cancers, “Effective forecasting is one of the coding site GitHub once it’s complete,
infections, and other illnesses afflicting best ways to keep citizens healthy. It allowing anyone with a computer to
communities struggling to maintain gives people who are particularly prone access their work and tailor it to fit any
clean air. to respiratory illness time to connect urban environment in the world.
“Those deaths are tragic. Cities use lots with their healthcare provider and start “Air pollution isn’t just an LA problem.
of different strategies to try and protect preventative treatments. Being proactive There are people all over the world who
What We
people, but our mitigation strategies are is key to avoiding a health emergency,” are struggling to stay healthy in polluted
limited by the amount of air quality data said Dawn Comer, LA’s Broadband and urban environments, and if others can
we have at our disposal,” said Jeanne Digital Inclusion Coordinator. use PWWB to mitigate air pollution more
Holm, Deputy Mayor of Budget and But LA’s system for detecting air efficiently, then it can only help us all in
Innovation for the City of Los Angeles. pollution is limited to the Los Angeles the long run,” said Holm.
With a grant from ESTO, Holm and metropolitan area, and events far Preparing PWWB for the general
a team of researchers are working on away from the city can have just as public is no small feat. Holm credits her
advanced machine-learning software big an impact on air quality as traffic team, especially her Co-Investigators at
that could make it easier for cities to on Ventura Boulevard. For example, California State University, Los Angeles,
forecast air pollution events. Their wildfires in other parts of California and the non-profit OpenAQ, for making
Breathe
project, aptly titled “Predicting What could jettison large amounts of this project possible.
We Breathe (PWWB),” combines deep particulate pollutants into LA’s air “Dr. Mohammad Pourhomayoun’s
neural network models with other classic and cause an unexpected spike in air team at California State University, Los
machine-learning algorithms to identify pollution. Angeles, is instrumental for unraveling
relationships between air quality data “Earth is a system of systems. If we the complexities of normalizing satellite
gathered from ground sensors in Los want to effectively mitigate air pollution, and ground data with varying scales of
Angeles and imaging data gathered from we need to be able to look at the big time and space, and Jeremy Taub’s team
Earth-monitoring satellites managed picture and understand how our city at OpenAQ unites collaborators from the
by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey fits within the broader environmental LA area with cities around the globe to
(USGS). picture,” said Holm. help us apply these algorithms to real
Understanding these relationships To discover relationships between data data sets collected from each of their
would enable scientists to train systems gathered from ground-based air quality cities,” said Holm.
used to process data from sources like sensors and NASA satellite observations, PWWB is still in the early phases of
Terra MODIS, Aqua MODIS, and Landsat PWWB will use multimodal deep development, but Holm hopes to have a
to detect signs of impending air pollution learning algorithms. These algorithms valid prototype algorithm ready in the
incidents too subtle to be detected by in include several deep Recurrent Neural near future. “There’s a lot of work to be
situ sensors in LA. In addition, PWWB Network (RNN) models, which are ideal done, but using machine-learning to
would help researchers not only better for forecasting outcomes from time- process data from space-based remote
classify urban air patterns in LA, but series data. That makes them well-suited sensors can really change the way we
also allow them to detect similarities to comb a wide variety of data sources— forecast air pollution events,” said Holm.
Machine learning helps forecast air
between those air patterns and other air including sensor measurements,
regimes in megacities around the world. satellite images, meteorological data,
pollution events in Los Angeles. This capability would enable urban and wildfire data—to locate patterns
communities worldwide to protect their between information from LA’s sensor
citizens from the harmful effects of air network and images collected by NASA
pollution with data-driven mitigation and USGS. Essentially, these models
strategies. teach data classifiers to identify signs
“Our goal is to create a tool anyone can of an impending air pollution event in
use to predict and prevent air pollution satellite images of Earth’s surface.
events. We want to empower other cities “Any relationship between our air
to keep their citizens safe as well,” said quality data and Landsat images could
Holm. be too nuanced for human analysts
Los Angeles already uses an extensive to detect, so we need to develop new
network of air quality sensors to keep information systems to find these
tabs on pollution. These sensors are in patterns for us,” said Holm.
LA’s ports, parks, and even streetlights, Perhaps the most remarkable aspect
providing officials with critical of PWWB is its flexibility. Holm, who
13
ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — IIP
Up In the
Wispy white cirrus clouds stretched back to Earth will have a significant cutting-edge technologies into a single
across a blue sky may seem insubstantial, impact on global climate models,” said instrument to gather this critical data.
but they actually have a huge impact on Deal. In particular, its ability to selectively
Earth’s climate. Learning more about Cirrus clouds both alleviate and distribute energy to an active radar
New NASA radar looks to
these clouds would allow scientists to exacerbate the effects of climate change. system using a pair of machine learning
develop better models for understanding While thick cirrus clouds packed with algorithms allows it to decrease overall
storms and climate change. large ice crystals help regulate Earth’s power consumption by a factor of seven
“Cirrus clouds cover more than 50% global temperature by reflecting without compromising the strength of
monitor volcanoes and
of our planet. If we can build a better incoming solar radiation back into space, its radar. This means SMICES is the first
Clouds
body of fundamental data describing the those same thick clouds also absorb and compact spaceborne remote sensor fit
structure of these clouds, we’ll have a trap lots of solar energy. for measuring ice crystals using radar
earthquakes from space
far superior understanding of how that “The size of the ice crystals within frequencies in the 239 GHz range –
coverage will affect our weather and high- altitude ice clouds determines which is essential for getting a clear look
climate moving forward,” said William the role those clouds play in regulating at cirrus clouds contributing to severe
Deal, a staff engineer at Northrop Earth’s radiative energy system. More weather events.
Grumman Systems Corporation. radiation means more heat, and more “The artificial intelligence algorithm
Deal is working with a team of heat could lead to more powerful, combs data from the three multi-
researchers at Northrop Grumman and energetic storm systems,” said Javier band radiometers for evidence of an
A new smart instrument the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to Bosch, a Technologist at JPL and co- interesting tropospheric feature. If it
aims to change the way develop a new instrument that would
reduce the cost and complexity of using
investigator for SMICES.
Deal adds that activities like
finds such a feature, like a severe storm,
the artificial intelligence controller
we look at ice crystals space-based remote sensors to study deforestation and the burning of fossil activates its onboard radar and focuses
in the atmosphere. the tiny ice crystals making up cirrus fuels may increase the prevalence of it on the targeted event. The radar only
clouds. Their project, Smart Ice Cloud cirrus clouds by spewing large amounts activates when necessary, and that’s
Sensing (SMICES), combines three of fine particulates into the upper critical for incorporating the 239 GHz
passive multi-band radiometers with atmosphere, which then become the active radar onto a small, cost-efficient
an active millimeter-wave radar system nuclei of high-altitude ice cloud crystals satellite,” said Deal.
to measure the size and shape of these as they encounter freezing water vapor. “Lingering questions about how
ice crystals as they float through the If that’s the case, then incorporating our climate and weather will change
troposphere. data on ice clouds could be critical for over time can only be answered with
In addition to gathering multi-angle creating models that can accurately advanced tools tailored to explore
data on these ice crystals, SMICES describe the relationship between those aspects of our world that are still
would also gather data to improve ice clouds and the prevalence of severe obscure. With SMICES, we hope to shed
the understanding of the formation weather events as our climate continues light on one of those aspects and its
of tornadoes and hurricanes in near to change. impact on other Earth systems,” said
real-time, exploring how high-altitude SMICES would employ several Deal.
ice clouds might impact the location,
severity, and frequency of these storms.
This information would make it easier 42 0 k
m Orb 42 0 k
m Orb
it it
for researchers to refine their models
for forecasting severe weather events
and predicting the long-term effects of
climate change.
An intelligent instrument, SMICES
would employ artificial intelligence
algorithms to make independent
decisions regarding power consumption, Radiometer Swath = 592 km Radio
which would make it the first NASA
sensor fit for using energy-intensive
active radar systems within shoe-box-
sized CubeSat platforms to collect
dynamic measurements of ice clouds.
“This is an incredibly compact, semi-
autonomous, low-power solution for SMICES’ passive radiometers When a tropospheric feature
studying high-altitude ice clouds and continuously scan a 592 km cross- of interest is detected, the active
their relationship with climate and track swath at a 45°elevation radar is autonomously directed at
weather trends. The data SMICES sends angle. the scene.
15
ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — AIST
According to NOAA, disasters in 2020 “There’s no substitute for the its event databases catalogue each
cost the U.S. more than $95 billion in knowledge we can provide using data request to prevent duplicate or
damages – more than any other year on space-based remote sensors. These overlapping requests from delaying data
record. Minimizing the impact of these instruments have a bird’s eye view of products.
disasters means dispatching much- disaster zones, and that view allows “It’s about speed. The faster we can
needed aid to devastated communities as first responders to get a more complete image disaster areas and create these
efficiently as possible. picture of a disaster situation,” said data products, the faster they can be
“We can’t stop disasters from Jones. used to improve disaster response
happening, but we can limit the scope of The challenge, she says, is plucking efforts. Smart Tasking can increase the
these catastrophes by executing a quick, information relevant to a specific utility of NASA data for urgent response,
effective response,” said Cathleen Jones, disaster from the torrents of data and there’s the potential to leverage
a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion satellites sent back to researchers this program to support studies of other
Laboratory (JPL). each day. Currently, it’s up to human dynamic Earth systems as well,” said
Jones and her team are using funding analysts to communicate with satellites Jones.
Smart
from ESTO to develop a new software about whether a disaster has occurred While Smart Tasking could be used
system that aims to provide decision and decide which data might be most to prioritize disaster-related data
makers with essential information relevant to rescuers on the ground. gathered by numerous instruments
enabling first responders to reach “That process could take hours or even already in orbit, Jones and her team
victims of disasters more quickly. days, and in the aftermath of a disaster, hope that it will be especially useful
Automating satellite Their system, called “Smart Tasking,” is every minute counts. Even minor delays for the upcoming NASA-ISRO SAR
observations for designed to automatically alert Earth- might mean the difference between life (NISAR) mission. Scheduled to launch
disaster response. monitoring satellites when a disaster and death for those in distress,” said during the summer of 2022, this joint
occurs, tasking them with prioritized Jones. mission between NASA and the Indian
Tasking
downlink and processing of any data that Smart Tasking shrinks that delay from Space Research Organization (ISRO)
may be of use to first responders. While hours or days to minutes, providing an will systematically image the Earth’s
NASA and other space agencies already automated interface between satellites surface over the course of three years to
provide rescuers with data products and databases like USGS’s Volcano measure surface displacement as small
describing disasters, they do so only after Notification System (VNS) platform as millimeters in size.
a person manually tasks satellites with – which maintains information on “Data that detailed would be
assembling the necessary information. volcanic eruptions – to identify and incredibly useful for disaster relief
By automating this process and downlink data that would be useful purposes, but it will have to be identified
instructing satellites to begin assembling for coordinating disaster relief. Its and filtered from a great deal of other
data products almost as soon a disaster flexible, cloud-based architecture would data first. Smart Tasking would be an
occurs, Smart Tasking could dramatically accommodate multiple inputs from excellent resource for doing this,” said
reduce the amount of time it takes to monitoring networks and multiple Jones.
get invaluable information about the clients to service increased data requests A volcanic eruption at Mount
exact location, duration, and magnitude during large disaster events, while Sinabung, Indonesia in May 2016.
of disasters into the hands of first
responders.
“We want to cut out the middleman.
Enabling satellites to respond
automatically to disasters instead
of making them wait for manual
instruction streamlines their ability to
respond to urgent data requests,” said
Jones.
Satellite data is critical for
coordinating disaster relief efforts. This
data provides first responders more
information about the extent and impact
of a disaster itself, and in some cases,
detailed images of the affected area. This
allows rescuers to identify safe places
to shelter refugees and rescuers, find
passable supply and egress routes, and
identify ruined infrastructure where
wounded people could be trapped.
17ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — IIP
Circling the globe multiple times each Challenger delivered the Earth Radiation DEMETER would solve that problem.
day, a network of satellites carefully Budget Satellite (ERBS) into orbit. Since While the last ERB satellite sent into
Advancing
measures the Earth Radiation Budget then, five other satellites have joined orbit weighed more than 2000 kg,
(ERB)—or, how much solar energy ERBS as part of the Earth Radiation DEMETER could weigh as little as 90 kg.
Earth absorbs, reflects, and emits back Budget Experiment (ERBE) and the And unlike other radiometers, DEMETER
into space. This information helps Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy wouldn’t require a complicated scanning
researchers learn more about everything System (CERES) project to track energy mechanism to track radiation. Instead,
from daily weather patterns to climate interactions between Earth and space. DEMETER’s wide-field-angle optical
change. “The data products we receive from module would function as a simple
Anum Ashraf, a researcher at NASA’s these instruments are invaluable. “push-broom” sensor that could achieve
Langley Research Center, wants to By calculating the annual difference superior global coverage using far less
ensure scientists continue to receive between the amount of radiation Earth energy.
Radiation
reliable information about Earth’s absorbs and the amount of radiation “This not only makes it less expensive
radiant energy system for decades to Earth emits, we can clearly see how to launch a satellite for tracking ERB, but
come. Ashraf and her team are hard quickly the Earth is warming up due to also increases the number of potential
at work developing a next-generation climate change,” said Ashraf. flight windows such a mission could
radiometric sensor, DEMonstrating the But while these instruments have have. DEMETER would be much less
Emerging Technology for Measuring the proven themselves to be particularly difficult to get into space than other ERB
Earth’s Radiation (DEMETER), that will durable (CERES FM-1 and FM-2, monitoring systems,” said Ashraf.
not only dramatically reduce the size launched aboard the Terra spacecraft in While DEMETER likely won’t fly
and weight of satellites sent to monitor 1999, continue to relay useful data), most until 2028, a final report documenting
Budget
ERB, but also greatly increase the utility of them are approaching the end of their DEMETER’s system performance and a
of these instruments for meeting the planned lifespans. If these instruments path to an accelerated flight mission is
evolving needs of the climate-modeling were to expire, it would be extremely scheduled for September 2022.
community. difficult to deploy a replacement in time “Being able to deploy ERB satellites
From Low Earth Orbit (LEO), to preserve the integrity and continuity quickly will be crucial for maximizing
DEMETER will use a non-scanning, of the ERB data record. the value of this data record and
wide-field-angle optical module and “Current ERB instruments that producing invaluable insights into how
a two-dimensional detector array to provide global broadband coverage ERB shapes the world we live in,” said
measure reflected solar radiation and contain complex scanning mechanisms Ashraf.
Measurements
thermal radiation emitted by the Earth that increase the mass, power
between 0.2 μm and ≥50 μm. This consumption, and the cost of the
range of radiant energy is particularly payload, requiring a budget of at least A DEMETER mission could
important for understanding how 150 million dollars to get into orbit. achieve a scan spacing of less
radiation impacts regional weather Sending instruments that large into LEO than 5 km per swath, increasing
conditions and long-term climate data isn’t a fast process, and even a small gap spatial resolution by a factor of 10
trends. DEMETER will improve the in the data record could affect our ability compared to current instruments in
resolution of available ERB data by a to create accurate models,” said Ashraf. orbit. Credit: Paul Padgett/NASA
factor of ten and—using an onboard data
processing unit—provide researchers
New technology offers advantages for with access to ERB data in near real
Earth energy balance measurements. time, which is critical for understanding
the relationship between ERB and
dynamic, fast-changing Earth systems
behind things like natural disasters and
agricultural production.
“We need an extensive ERB data
record to understand how these energy
interactions affect Earth systems.
DEMETER will combine state-of-the-art
instrumentation with a novel, modular
spacecraft design to make sure that the
data record remains unbroken,” said
Ashraf.
Ashraf explains that researchers
have monitored ERB with satellites
since 1984, when the Space Shuttle
19ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — AIST
Bringing together data from numerous could impact precipitation patterns as it navigates the open ocean south of
sensor nodes and visualizing it is a in the Philippines and climate change Luzon. The second was a prototype of a
critical part of the scientific process. But around the world. The science team was potential future interactive dashboard,
creating accessible visualizations isn’t especially interested in determining that presents much of the data gathered
easy, especially when those sensor nodes whether increased air pollution in South by airborne, seaborne, and spaceborne
communicate complex Earth-science Asia might affect the amount of rain the instruments supporting that research
data. Philippines receive annually and the flight.
“Navigating and visualizing thousands amount of solar radiation Earth reflects “In one place, you have all the
of raw data files collected during a field back into space. information you need to locate patterns
campaign is an extraordinarily tedious “Increasing levels and concentrations between these different data sets. As the
task, and – left as is – might reduce of certain aerosols may lead to reduced video plays, the data in the dashboard
the scientific return of the campaign,” cloud cover, which limits the amount changes in real time, so you can see
said Larry Di Girolamo, a professor of of rainfall those areas can expect. In exactly when and where a certain data
Atmospheric Sciences at the University addition, fewer reflective clouds in these point appeared in the record,” said
of Illinois. areas would increase the amount of Stuart Levy, a senior programmer and
Di Girolamo collaborated with sunlight Earth absorbs, which impacts system administrator at AVL.
programmers and designers from the weather patterns and climate change,” The final product package, which
Advanced Visualization Lab (AVL) at the said Di Girolamo. included a two-minute video and a
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Cloud-aerosol interactions in the data dashboard depicting 76 different
National Center for Supercomputing Philippines are extremely complicated. data variables, surpassed Di Girolamo’s
Applications (NCSA) in Urbana, High-altitude clouds cover the clouds expectations. The visualizations helped
Illinois, to prototype a new process beneath them that interact with aerosols, his team link increased levels of aerosols
for communicating data from field making it difficult to observe cloud- in the Philippines to a biomass-burning
expeditions. aerosol interactions using satellites. event in Indonesia.
The prototype uses a combination To fill those gaps in the satellite data, “We’re excited for the possibility of
of commercially available, open CAMP2Ex researchers needed to merge organizing our other data sets like this
New visualization tool helps researchers explore
source, and home-grown software to data from two NASA research planes, and sharing this process with other
transform raw data from NASA’s recent a Navy research vessel, and even the researchers handling Earth-science
science campaign data like never before.
Cinematic
Cloud, Aerosol and Monsoon Processes Manila Observatory in Quezon City, data,” said Di Girolamo.
Philippines Experiment (CAMP2Ex) into Philippines.
a 3D animation and a data dashboard “How do you build a comprehensive
video. These visualizations made it easier picture from hundreds of thousands The CAMP2Ex exhibition video,
for researchers to explore data gathered of files from different data sources?” illustrating data gathered during
by all the instrument teams during their said Di Girolamo. To solve this problem, CAMP2Ex’s Research Flight 09.
time in the Philippines. Di Girolamo and the creative team During this flight, Di Girolamo’s
In particular, these visualizations were prototyped two visualization products team gathered data linking
helpful for identifying patterns between using data from CAMP2EX’s Research increased levels of aerosols to
Science
one of the largest biomass-burning Flight 09. The first visualization was the largest biomass burning ever
events ever recorded in Indonesia and a 3D animated video that depicts the recorded in Indonesia. Credit:
increased amounts of air pollutants journey of NASA’s P3 research aircraft NASA / AVL
in the South China Sea. Di Girolamo
and the team at the AVL hope that the
techniques they used to create these
visualizations will help other researchers
interpret and communicate data
gathered during field campaigns more
efficiently.
“These visualizations could
revolutionize how we communicate our
data to other researchers and members
the public. It could make field data
more accessible for anyone interested
in fundamental research,” said Di
Girolamo.
The CAMP2Ex project assembled a
fleet of disparate sensors to study how
aerosol particles and cloud properties
21ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — ACT
The smartphone in your pocket operations usually done on the ground Access Memory (MRAM) units, with a
packs more computing power than to reduce data throughput,” said system controller providing adaptive
all of NASA had at its disposal when Yamaguchi. redundancy to ensure gathered data isn’t
Stacked
it first sent humans to the moon. But Powerful computers that digest data lost if the system suddenly loses power.
many spacecraft still rely on outdated quickly use teams of processors to “These are standard pieces of
computers to process immense amounts perform multiple calculations at the computer hardware, but when we
of complex data. same time. With more than 150,000 bring them together within this folded
“Software for processing data more processors, for example, Fugaku structure, we create a system that
efficiently can only be as revolutionary (currently the world’s most powerful consumes less energy, takes up less
as the hardware hosting it. To improve supercomputer) can perform as many as space, helps insulate SMARTIE from
data processing, that computing one quintillion (1018) calculations each radiation, and even makes it less
hardware must also keep pace,” said second. But processors require space likely that radiation will even collide
Miniaturized
James Yamaguchi, Vice President of 3D and energy, two things in short supply with SMARTIE in the first place,” said
Electronics and Mass Storage at Irvine aboard satellites tailored for maximum Yamaguchi.
Sensors Corporation. efficiency. A wide variety of scientific missions
Yamaguchi is working with a team “We’re talking about satellites that dedicated to gathering data with space-
of scientists to create a novel computer are tens of centimeters in size. We may based remote sensors would benefit from
technology that would allow space-based be able to outfit those satellites with a computer like SMARTIE. In particular,
remote sensors to process data faster and computers strong enough to process researchers developing SMart Ice Cloud
more reliably. The technology, Stacked data in situ, but that data processing Sensing (SMICES) – an instrument that
Miniaturized and Radiation Tolerant capability often takes up resources that would help improve climate and weather
Radiation
Intelligent Electronics (SMARTIE), uses could be used to support a stronger models (see page 13) – are interested in
advanced packaging to integrate three instrument array,” said Yamaguchi using the technology to support their
high-performance computer tiles into In addition, while Earth’s atmosphere goal of measuring ice crystals in high-
a folded-flex module with over 300 shields computers on its surface from altitude clouds.
Gigaflops of computing power and 15 most cosmic radiation, computers in “The ice crystals we want to measure
Theoretical Operations Per Second space don’t have that same protection. A are best characterized using radar within
(TOPS) of artificial intelligence (AI) powerful burst of radiation could impact the 239 GHz range, but that requires a
performance. a computer’s ability to process data pretty energy intensive radar apparatus.
In addition to increasing the speed accurately or even destroy it completely. We want to run advanced AI algorithms
Tolerant
at which an instrument could process “If that happens, and the satellite can that would only turn on the radar
data, SMARTIE’s stacked computer no longer process or relay data, then when necessary. For a program that
tiles would also help shield computers you’re flying a very expensive brick. Even complicated, we’ll need to use something
from interference caused by radiation computers small enough to fit practically as powerful and compact as SMARTIE,”
in space. Perhaps most importantly, onboard compact satellites and powerful said William Deal, PI for SMICES.
SMARTIE would bring these benefits to enough to process data in situ may still Yamaguchi is excited to see other
instruments while consuming less than be too vulnerable to radiation for use in scientists explore the possibility of
Rad-hardened computer tiles for 10 watts of power – less energy than the
average light bulb. That means satellites
space,” said Yamaguchi
SMARTIE would solve these problems
incorporating SMARTIE into their
instruments. Enabling researchers to
compact space missions.
Intelligent
equipped with SMARTIE would be much by distributing readily available accomplish their scientific objectives
lighter and more cost-efficient than computer components across a compact, is, after all, what motivates his team to
satellites that require numerous heavy flexible architecture, which would then develop this novel component.
batteries to power their instruments. fold into a single package only 16 mm “We have to support one another.
While still in the very early stages of long, 22 mm wide, and 6 mm high. Every incremental step forward lays the
development, SMARTIE could eventually These components would include an foundation for future groundbreaking
disrupt satellite applications across off-the-shelf multi-core processor, a discoveries, and we hope SMARTIE will
the spectrum, from Earth observation graphics processing unit (GPU), and eventually become a cornerstone of that
instruments to planetary exploration non-volatile Magnetoresistive Random foundation,” said Yamaguchi.
instruments built to study distant
Electronics
planets and stars.
“SMARTIE would have endless
applications. It could provide
autonomy to single satellites or
satellite constellations using AI, enable
distributed sensors where parts of Flexible circuit in folded state
the instrument are set in different before encapsulation. Credit:
spacecraft, and perform complex James Yamaguchi/Irvine Sensors
23ESTO 2021 Technology Highlights — AIST
If you’ve ever struggled to find But manually curating metadata metadata for NASA Earth science data
information using an online search for NASA’s Earth science data sets is sets would be an immense boon to NASA
engine, then you know how difficult an onerous and time-consuming task. science, improving the interoperability
research can be. This is especially There are more than 8,000 collections of NASA’s petabytes of disparate data
true for professional scientists, who in the NASA Earth Observing System products and increasing the pace of
must search through troves of data to Data and Information System (EOSDIS) scientific discovery. Indeed, making data
construct their models and hypotheses. archives, and each collection can contain FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable,
“Finding ideal data isn’t always as hundreds of individual datasets. While and reusable) is one of NASA’s top
easy as submitting a query through a tools exist to assist in the metadata objectives.
search bar. Many data sets simply aren’t process, they generally rely on metadata “Something like AMP might ultimately
organized in a way that makes them curators manually filling in forms using save both metadata curators and
visible to search algorithms,” said Beth drop down lists. Different curators may researchers hundreds of hours of work,”
Huffer, founder and CEO of Lingua categorize the same information in said Huffer.
Logica, LLC. “And finding the data is only different ways, which makes consistency For an Earth scientist who works at the
the beginning. Making it ready-to-use hard to achieve. intersection of science and technology
can be even more challenging.” “It’s a common complaint among – such as Annie Burgess, Lab Director
Huffer wants to help researchers scientists that they spend more time at Earth Science Information Partners
locate, access, and use NASA Earth preparing data for analysis than they (ESIP) – the potential benefits are
science data sets with greater ease. Her spend actually analyzing data. Manual considerable.
project, Automated Metadata Pipeline metadata curation tends to yield “It’s very exciting. AMP has the
(AMP), would automate the process metadata records that use disparate potential to impact the entire data
A Better
of annotating NASA data sets with terms and formats, which make it life cycle. By streamlining metadata
descriptions of what, where, when, difficult to programmatically prepare generation, AMP takes a significant
and how the Earth science phenomena and use the data with applications, even burden off of data professionals and
represented in the data set were when the metadata is very descriptive,” researchers, ultimately streamlining
measured. That information – also said Huffer. the timeline from data generation to
known as metadata – would then make AMP could help solve this problem. scientific insight,” said Annie.
it easier for search engines specializing Huffer is working with colleagues at Huffer stresses that there’s still a
in scientific discovery to connect the Basque Centre for Climate Change lot of work to be done, but her team’s
researchers with data sets most relevant (BCCC) to provide data for BCCC’s recent success with the AMP prototype
Way to
to their research goals and enable ARtificial Intelligence for Ecosystems is promising. She wants to continue
software developers to create Application Services (ARIES) platform, a network working with NASA to develop her
Programming Interfaces (APIs) that of eco-services models. By teaching technology concept further and,
connect Earth science data sets with data convolutional neural nets (CNNs) to ultimately, share AMP with metadata
analysis applications. This would lead to organize information according to curators at NASA’s Distributed Active
improved models describing everything detailed ontologies, Huffer developed Archive Centers (DAACs), who help
from climate change to agricultural an AMP prototype that automatically catalogue and maintain NASA’s collected
productivity. produces metadata for the NASA data Earth science data. She is also eager
“NASA gathers petabytes of data sets ARIES uses to programmatically to explore other uses for the AMP data
Search
each day. If we don’t have an efficient identify data that can serve as inputs for preparation pipeline.
process for turning that raw data into models within the ARIES network and “AMP will not only reduce the cost and
data products for scientists and decision satisfy user requests in real time. the amount of time it takes to produce
makers, then we aren’t capitalizing on “For the prototype, we manually robust highly descriptive metadata
the full value of that information,” she trained a convolutional neural network records, but will also ensure that
added. to recognize about 49 different variables. the language and format used in the
Robust, high-quality metadata The neural network was then able to descriptions are consistent,” said Huffer.
Automated metadata pipeline may make NASA
is critical for accelerating scientific recognize those variables when they
research, Huffer explains. When we occurred in other data sets, and instruct
data more accessible to Earth scientists. search for something online, it’s the the AMP data annotation module
context clues expressed as metadata to assign the same labels to the new
that allow search algorithms to separate data sets as those that were assigned
information relevant to a query from manually to the training data. So now we
information that’s irrelevant. The more know that it is possible to use machine
descriptive metadata is, the easier it is learning to generate good metadata
for those algorithms to generate helpful automatically,” said Huffer.
results. High-quality metadata can even A tool that automatically generates
help researchers create complex models. consistent, semantically-grounded
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