Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Orbiter Camera
Update: Posted July 10, 1998--
NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) has announced a schedule for
release of Mars Global Surveyor data from the Aerobrake and Science
Phasing Orbits phases of the mission.
CLICK HERE for the PDS schedule. The first data have already
been released--on the
"Mars Global Surveyor Science Sampler".
Project Data Release Policies
Release of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) data, including the images, is
governed by three Project documents. The primary document is the MGS Science Data Management Plan, which is
included in every science investigation contract. In order to focus
science data management on the processing and archiving of data, a
second document, the MGS Archive Generation,
Validation, and Transfer Plan was written to discuss specific
plans for each instrument. The MGS Public
Information Release Plan is a recent document written to amplify
on MGS public release activities, and the rules that govern them.
Several aspects of these plans should be noted:
- Only the Public Information Release Plan was written after the
mapping mission was delayed to accommodate the spacecraft limitations
on aerobraking. Release and archiving plans for Aerobraking Phase I
(September 1997 to February 1998), Science Phasing Orbit Phase I
(April 1998), Science Phasing Orbit Phase II (June to September 1998),
and Aerobraking Phase II (September 1998 to March 1999) have yet to be
incorporated into Project documents.
- Note that there are no specific requirements applicable only to
the Mars Orbiter Camera. All instruments are to be developing
material for release. In addition the requirements for thematic
presentations, the MOC team has agreed to provide, on average, one
public information release image a week.
- The general philosophy for release of data to the scientific
community is that validated, archival materials will be prepared as
soon as practical within the limitations of resources and data
collection. The guideline is six months, but both the Science Data
Management Plan and the Archive Generation, Validation, and Transfer
Plan recognize that some products, for example global maps, may take
longer, depending on the collection and processing strategies.
- During mapping, archival releases will be phased to match
convenient seasonal and operational periods, which are approximately six
months in duration. Each release will occur about six months after the
end of each phase.
Links to the Documents
- MGS Science Data Management Plan (SDMP)
- This document, part of the original project plan and incorporated
as an "exhibit" in each investigation's contract, is the principal
governing document.
- MGS Archive Generation, Validation, and
Transfer Plan (AGVTP)
- This document addresses, in somewhat the same manner as the SDMP,
the specific preparation and delivery issues for science data products.
- MGS Public Information Release Plan
(PRIP)
- This plan was written to focus on MGS public release activities,
and the rules that govern them.
