Geospatial Techniques, Data, and Open Source Software for Mission Operations

Geospatial techniques and software (aka ‘mapping’) provide a shared mission spatial context for science and engineering decision making. The “where” is necessary knowledge for science planning, both in terms of the vehicle location in time, the instrument pointing, and capturing new science data. Mapping shines when integrated early during mission formulation and then again in the surface mission development cycle. In a mapping context, collaboration is critical for large, globally distributed science and engineering teams, to enhance mission planning, analysis, and data fusion, to increase situational awareness to save time and effort, as well as maximize science return. At NASA/JPL, we assemble formal mapping teams, Mapping Specialists, who provide new maps and mapping data daily based on spacecraft position, targeted science, and strategic planning. We’ve built an open source, web-based, geospatial application for direct use during operations. The Multi-Mission Geographic Information System (MMGIS), created though the NASA Advanced Multi-Mission Operations System (AMMOS), was designed to support science operations for the Earth and other planets like Mars. MMGIS takes advantage of open data format standards and Free and Open Source Geospatial (FOSS4G) spatial/mapping libraries.