Issue link: https://geospatial.trimble.com/en/resources/i/1415426
MAY 2019 csengineermag.com 21 Down on Earth, Jacobs' team of scientists at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston help provide these specialized, remote-sensing, sci- ence operations and observation services to the ISS program, including guiding astronauts to produce scientific photography and enhancing the imagery's educational impact. The ISS-generated images – capturing everything from impact cra- ters, glaciers, volcanoes and aerosols to cities, storms and lightning and natural disasters – give primary data on the state of the Earth and complement traditional automated sensor systems. In addition to the astronauts' real-time observations using handheld cameras, the space station's orbital sensor systems provide a vital tool to identify the ex- tent of damage from natural disasters and can even provide mapping support to aid response efforts on the ground. Understanding the bigger picture Almost every day, new target image requests – a combination of scientific, educational, crew and public affairs needs – get added to the team database. The Jacobs team on ground checks the ISS orbit tracks alongside ground targets, the sun elevation angles for the target and weather conditions to ensure the crew can view the ground target requested. Once all checks are passed, the target will be included in the daily target capture list for the team aboard ISS. When possible and applicable, the team at JSC will request the as- tronauts capture imagery before a natural disaster hits an area. This is primarily the case when a large tropical storm is forecasted to hit a specific area, as our team can keep up-to-date with when and where a storm will hit. Pre-storm and post-storm imagery is invaluable when assessing storm damage, including flooding, infrastructure damage, power outages and other factors. In practice Since 2012, we've delivered nearly 2,400 images in support of the U.S. Geological Survey/Disaster Program documenting natural and human- made disasters around the world, including Hurricane Florence and the California wildfires in 2018. During Hurricane Florence, a Category 1 hurricane active from Sept. 11 to 21, teams captured nighttime imagery to document the wide- spread power outages, especially in North Carolina. As wildfires rav- aged northern California in May, teams captured a total of 116 images to monitor and track the spread of the fires. Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth, the entire library of images captured from ISS, provides an enthralling look at the world around us, especially in times of need. Interested in learning more about how Jacobs transforms intangible ideas into intelligent solutions for a more connected, sustainable world? Visit www.jacobs.com/what-if. Expedition 59 crew members Anne McClain, Oleg Konoenko, and David Saint- Jacques welcome their new crew members, Nick Hague, Christina Koch, and Alexey Ovchinin, who arrived to the International Space Station on March 14, 2019. Photo: NASA TV Hurricane Michael eyewall, last year. Photo: NASA, Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth LISA VANDERBLOEMEN is a PhD level scientist, specializing in remote sensing analysis. She currently serves as the manager of the Exploration Science/Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit at Jacobs, leveraging extensive management experience as both a U.S. Navy Reserve Commander and civilian contractor working in the information technology discipline. Lisa's technical expertise includes database management, temporal/spatial analysis of oceanographic and hydrographic data and algorithm development.