SPIRIT III Data Verification Processing

Abstract

This paper will discuss the functions performed by the Spatial Infrared Imaging Telescope (SPIRIT) III Data Processing Center (DPC) at Utah State University (USU). The SPIRIT III sensor is the primary instrument on the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) satellite; and as builder of this sensor system, USU is responsible for developing and operating the associated DPC. The SPIRIT III sensor consists of a six-color long-wave infrared (LWIR) radiometer system, an LWIR spectrographic interferometer, contamination sensors, and housekeeping monitoring systems. The MSX spacecraft recorders can capture up to 8+ gigabytes of data a day from this sensor. The DPC is subsequently required to provide a 24-hour turnaround to verify and qualify these data by implementing a complex set of sensor and data verification and quality checks. This paper addresses the computing architecture, distributed processing software, and automated data verification processes implemented to meet these requirements.