All of the CloudSat data processing will be done at the CloudSat Data Processing Center, located on the ground floor of the ACRC building, on the Foothills Campus of Colorado State University. CloudSat data processing applications will be run on a low-cost network of IBM-compatible PC servers and workstations, running the Windows operating system. The DPC will ingest CloudSat data from the USAF RTD&E Support Center (RSC) in Albuquerque, NM and ancillary data that are required for the production of CloudSat standard data products.
After generation of the CloudSat standard data products, CIRA will serve as the Data Access and Support Center (DASC). The DASC provides both data and assistance with questions about the data or the CloudSat science mission to both scientists and the general public.
Most of the DPC operation will be automated with the DPC staffed by two full-time Science and Technology Corporation (METSAT Division) personnel (under a sub-contract to CIRA), and up to four, part-time, CSU students. The full-time staff will perform system maintenance and quality assessment duties during 5-day work week and the part-time student "hourlies" will manage the operation during limited evening and weekend shifts. Both of the full-time operations staff have a strong background in Atmospheric Science data processing and analysisand, computer programming, and system administration.