Data Management

Similar to its mission operations approach, TIMED employs a unique distributed data management system, where spacecraft instrument teams will individually process data, generating products for distribution, from their respective Payload Operations Centers. This approach is unique compared to traditional space science missions and to most remote-sensing programs.

Traditionally, space science missions maintain one central data center, which has full control of the data from downloading it from the spacecraft to processing, archiving and distributing data products. This approach typically requires larger staffs working around-the-clock shifts.

But within TIMED's distributed data management system, the Mission Data Center (part of the Mission Operations Center) is responsible for downlinking raw data from the spacecraft and then sending it, via direct links, to processors at each of the remote Payload Operations Centers. These centers will process their instrument's raw data and turn it into data products that can be used by the public, and scientific and educational communities. Due to TIMED's more efficient data management system, the Mission Data Center and remote data processing sites are operating with smaller staffs working one 8-hour shift a day.

Once a remote site completes a data product, a notice is sent to the Mission Data Center indicating that the product is available for distribution. The Mission Data Center maintains a central catalog of TIMED data products, which incorporates query capabilities and a Web-based interface so the public, science teams, and educational communities can quickly and easily retrieve products from the remote sites via TIMED's Web site. A description of TIMED's distributed data management system is provided in its Project Data Management Plan.