7.0 OPERATIONS

The TRACE-P mission deployment depends upon the coordinated efforts of many persons and organizations.  The following sections provide details for each activity associated with the deployment sites, the Team members and airplanes.  Table 7.0-1 provides a one-page summary of these activity and indicates who is involved in their implementation.  

7.1 Functional Organization

TRACE-P is a research project within the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) series, managed and funded through the Tropospheric Chemistry Program in the Earth Science Enterprise Office (ESEO).   The Program Manager for the Tropospheric Chemistry Program serves as the TRACE-P Program Manager.  TRACE-P Project activities are managed by the GTE Project Office at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC).

The functional organization for implementing GTE/TRACE-P is shown in Figure 7.1-1.  Names, organization and telephone numbers of all project personnel are provided in Appendix H. A brief description of the TRACE-P team responsibilities for major functional elements follows:

Tropospheric Chemistry Program Manager: Provides oversight to ensure that the research activities of TRACE-P are in concert with the objectives of the ESEO.  The Program Manager will be the point of contact for coordinating the research activities of TRACE-P with other collaborating U.S. and foreign agencies, if applicable.  The Program Manager will be an ex-officio member of the TRACE-P Science Team.

 GTE Project Office: The GTE Project Manager, with the assistance of the Deputy Project Manager, will be responsible for the overall management and coordination of resources provided to meet the scientific objectives of the TRACE-P mission.  These responsibilities will include (a) interaction with the Tropospheric Chemistry Program management and the management of other collaborating agencies and science teams; (b) overall direction and documentation of project planning, schedules, and field operations; (c) providing for the timely transmittal of all data collected by the project into the LaRC DAAC; and (d) acquisition and reporting of base measurements in support of the mission goals.  Also, in concert with the NASA Office of External Affairs and the U.S. Department of State, determine and assure compliance with host country requirements for foreign country operations. The Project Manager/Deputy Manager will be assisted by the Mission Scientist, Deputy Mission Scientist, Co-Mission Meteorologists, Assistant Project Manager and by the project staff.  The Project Manager (or in his absence the Deputy Project Manager) will be an ex-officio member of the TRACE-P Science Team.

Mission Scientist/Deputy Mission Scientist: Responsible for guidance of all scientific aspects of the expedition, including being the chief scientific spokespersons for the Project, chairing Science Team meetings, and establishing with the Project Manager and PIs, the detailed flight objectives and requirements.  The Mission Scientist will also be responsible for providing overall guidance to the TRACE-P Science Team and for directing publication of the mission results.   The Mission Scientist and Deputy Mission Scientist are responsible, with the advice of the Science Team, for assisting the Aircraft Managers in the preparation of each mission flight plan.

Co-Mission Meteorologists: Responsible for the coordination of all meteorological functions, including forecasting and planning for all aircraft flights and all meteorological data products. Co-Mission Meteorologists are also responsible for determining and, with the aid of the Project Office, arranging for meteorological support at the deployment sites.  They will also chair Science Team meetings in the absence of both the Mission Scientist and the Deputy Mission Scientist.

Principal Investigators: Responsible for the scientific instrumentation/modeling as well as data gathering, reduction, analyses, archival and publication. PIs will also contribute to the mission planning process to ensure the best operational use of their individual experiments/models for the overall science objectives of the TRACE-P mission. Instrument PIs are responsible for determining instrumentation support requirements at the integration and deployment sites and submitting them to the Aircraft Manager or Logistics Manager as appropriate.

Aircraft Managers: Responsible for installation of Project approved PI and Project instrumentation aboard their respective aircraft. Responsible for flight scheduling and for coordination of flight planning activities between Mission Scientist and aircraft flight crew. Responsible for in-flight communications between the science team and the aircraft crew. Responsible for aircraft payload layout, hazard analysis, engineering reviews, and inspections. Coordinates payload installation and check-out, and payload removal. Obtains safety and flight readiness approvals and aircraft diplomatic clearances. Responsible for direct aircraft logistical support, aircraft customs clearances, and transport of aircrew and aircraft science staff to and from airport and hotel upon initial arrival and final departure each non-intensive (e.g. overnight) site.

Aircraft Configuration Manager:  Oversees the installation of all mechanical/electrical additions/deletions to the NASA P-3B airframe for net effect upon structural integrity, handling qualities, performance, and customer safety and comfort.

Aircraft Coordination: Project Office personnel responsible for assisting the Aircraft Manager(s) in the scheduling and coordination associated with the integration of experiments and/or the loading of cargo aboard the aircraft. Also work with the Mission Scientist and PIs to meet mission flight objectives. Is senior Project Office representative in the absence of the Project /Deputy Project Managers.

Site Managers:  A GTE Project Office person will serve as the On-Site Manager at the sites from which the three airplanes operate.  The Site Manager is a single point of contact for the whole TRACE-P Team for all field-related issues associated with support of mission implementation.  The Site Manager will identify issues and coordinate their timely resolution with aircraft, operations, science, and facility representatives.  The Site Manager reports to the Project Manager.  Table 7.1-1 identifies the Site Managers

Logistics: SAIC personnel responsible for all (except direct aircraft) logistical support throughout the expedition, especially for arrangements for shipping, lodging, travel, personnel and equipment transportation at intensive sites, procurement of Project-furnished expendables, and travel expenses for non-NASA and non-foreign participants. Responsible for determining and implementing badging requirements at all sites.

Data Manager and Webmaster: Responsible for the receipt, assembling, archiving, and distribution of PI-submitted and Project data. Responsible for accuracy, currency, format, and content of GTE homepage.

Project Measurements: Investigator responsible for the integration, maintenance, and operation of instrumentation utilized for Project measurements; video display and recording; and real time data distribution to other principal investigators. Also responsible for analysis, reporting, and submission of Project data to the Data Manager for archival.

Aircraft Data Systems: Personnel responsible for integration, maintenance, software development, and operation of Project aircraft data acquisition systems.  Also responsible for real time and post-mission dissemination of Project data to TRACE-P investigators

Publications: Responsible for preparation of the TRACE-P Expedition Plan and JGR Mission Overview Paper. Also assist in the preparation of other Project documentation such as Data Compendium Report, DAAC Data Guide and Data Set Documents, Mission Aircraft Navigational and Meteorological Data Report and Mission Chemical Data Plot Reports

Meteorology: Responsible for assisting the Mission Meteorologists in the assembly, compilation, forecasting, generation, distribution and archival of meteorological information for real time and post-mission use.

Communications: Responsible for establishing Project and PI internet communications at operations sites as required and PI communications between mission aircraft.

Table 7.0-1 Who Plan and Pays

Figure 7.1-1 TRACE-P Project Organization

Table 7.1-1 Site Managers