DMSP data are downlinked to Thule AFB and transmitted to AFWA via communications satellite. At AFWA, the data are decrypted and sent to NGDC via T1 (Note: March 1992 - November 1996 data were sent on 8mm tape). The incoming data are inventoried and copied to tape. The data are then processed by software developed by the NGDC staff and software contractors. Currently, NGDC receives and processes approximately 8.5 Gb of data per day from 4 satellites.
The processing of the data involves complete renavigation of the satellite, time re-ordering the data, splitting the data apart by sensor, fixing data problems due to bit flips during transmission, organizing the data into orbits and writing the data to a robotic tape library system.
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