January 11, 2022. This Request for Information (RFI) notice is modified to include the below summary. How can advances in big-data processing and open science transform NASA’s science data processing? We would like to highlight a recent RFI. The Study Team is seeking input from commercial and non-commercial organizations with demonstrable expertise in processing scientific data or comparable datasets and/or implementing successful open science approaches. This is an opportunity to shape the next generation of Earth observing missions that are currently in development. The study team is looking to get expert and innovative inputs for data processing beyond the existing NASA capabilities and practices. We want to encourage commercial, non-commercial, small businesses, open-source projects, and historically excluded communities to consider responding to this RFI. The response due date remains the same as February 1, 2022. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) staffed and managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). JPL is a unique national research facility that carries out robotic space and Earth science missions by implementing programs in planetary exploration, Earth science, space-based astronomy and technology development while applying its capabilities to technical and scientific problems of national significance. JPL is tasked with leading this Request for Information to support the study outlined below. 1.0 Background NASAs Earth System Observatory (ESO) is a set of Earth-focused missions to provide key information to guide efforts related to climate change, natural hazard mitigation, fighting forest fires, and improving real-time agricultural processes. Each uniquely designed ESO mission will complement the others, working in tandem to create a holistic view of Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere. In line with this integrated approach, Kevin Murphy, Chief Science Data Officer for NASAs Science Mission Directorate (SMD), has set forth a challenge to the mission science data processing community to: Identify and assess potential [data system] architectures that can meet the ESO mission science processing objectives, enable data system efficiencies, promote open science principles, and seek opportunities that support Earth system science data and applications. In this context, a mission science data processing system is the set of scientific algorithms, software, compute infrastructure, operational procedures, documentation, and teams that process raw instrument data through to science-quality data products. This includes the software tools that support the development of the processing algorithms and the validation and analysis of the processed data. Open science is a foundational objective of SMD and is defined as a collaborative culture enabled by technology that empowers the open sharing of data, information, and knowledge within the scientific community and the wider public to accelerate scientific research and understanding (Ramachandran, R., Bugbee, K. & Murphy, K.J. From Open Data to Open Science. Earth and Space Science, 8(5), doi:10.1029/2020EA001562) https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020EA001562 1.1 Open Sourced Science (OSS) for Earth System Observatory (ESO) Mission Science Data Processing Study In order to address the challenge laid out above, SMD has established a Study Team tasked to provide a recommendation on a mission science data processing system architecture for the ESO missions. The Study Team has been assigned the following objectives: Understand the data processing system needs and goals of the ESO Missions and NASA program offices (due: November, 2021). Understand the current approaches and future trends in big-data processing systems and open science (due: April, 2022). Identify and evaluate system architectures and implementation approaches (due: August, 2022) Issue a mission science processing system architecture recommendation (due: September, 2022). Objective 1 was completed through the successful execution of Workshop 1 on October 19-20, 2021. At this workshop the Study Team received input from NASA Program Offices and the ESO Missions regarding requirements, constraints, recommendations, and opportunities for science data processing. A copy of the presentations, a recording of the entire workshop, and a report issued by the Study Team is available on the Study website . The Study Team is now focused on addressing Objective 2 and are seeking input from organizations with relevant expertise in big-data processing and open science to help guide the study. The approach to supporting Objective 2 is to hold a second workshop (Workshop 2, on March 1-4, 2022) with invited participants presenting on key topic areas that will inform and advance approaches to developing and enabling open science mission processing systems. Invited participants will present on the topic areas outlined below, along with presentations from current and future NASA Earth mission science processing teams. 2.0 Scope The Study Team is seeking input from commercial and non-commercial organizations with demonstrable expertise in processing scientific data or comparable datasets and/or implementing successful open science approaches. Our goal is to broaden participation of historically excluded communities through encouraging responses from minority serving institutions, and small disadvantaged businesses to receive diverse inputs to this study. We encourage all responses to discuss how they serve these communities and any lessons learned. The combination of ESO missions in the formulation stage along with the commitment to and foundational objective of advancing open science presents an enormous opportunity. This RFI calls for responses that may not only influence the approach to and delivery of mission science processing capabilities, but identify transformative approaches to how systems are designed and used to increase science and applications return. The study team and NASA leadership are looking forward to the responses to this RFI and the recommendations resulting from the overall study. The OSS for ESO Mission Science Data Processing Study Team seeks input from a broad and diverse set of organizations on recommendations for approaches and capabilities that address the following topic areas: Data Processing System Architecture . This refers to a software system architecture that supports processing of petabyte scale data in near real-time (hours) collected from a variety of data sources. Responses to this topic should provide an overview of an operational processing system, describe the components of the architecture, how the components interact, component and system dependencies, maturity for use in operations, and relevance to this Study. Open Science . This refers to the technology-based methods and solutions that empower the open sharing of data, information, analytics, and knowledge within the scientific community and the wider public to accelerate scientific research and understanding. Responses to this topic should describe capabilities that a mission science data processing system should adopt in order to enable open science such as containerization for reproducible workflows, metadata curation, intellectual property permissions, version control, etc. Component Technologies. This refers to transformative software and computing capabilities and methodologies that have the potential to increase efficiencies, promote interoperability, or enable new processing functionality. Responses to this topic should describe capabilities that have been developed and quantify how the capability might transform a mission science data processing system. Downstream Interoperability. This refers to functions that a mission science data processing system should provide in order to support downstream consumers of the output data products. Responses should describe downstream data or information systems that will potentially utilize ESO data products in support of Earth system science and/or applications and how the system will likely interface with an ESO mission science data processing system. Additionally, responses should include recommendations on functions that the mission science data processing should provide in order to lower the barriers for use, integration, and analysis of data products. Other Recommendations . This topic area allows for responders to provide recommendations on relevant mission science data processing topics not specified in Scope items 1-4 which might be considered critical to meet the goals of the study. 3.0 Responding to this RFI Responses to this RFI should be submitted as follows: Send an e-mail to
[email protected] with the subject line: OSSPS Workshop 2 RFI Response In the body, include the public Data Object Identifier (DOI) that was prepared using the detailed instructions below The submission must adhere to the following guidelines for content length: Name, description, and point of contact of the organization, relevant past experience and background information. 1 page. A response to one or more topic areas outlined in Section 2.0, 1 page in length for each topic area being responded to (i.e., no more than 5 total pages, if responding to all five topic areas). Please note the topic area(s) responded to on each submission. Links to publicly available publications and relevant resources that support the response. 1 page. DISCLAIMER: The requested information is for preliminary planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that JPL will solicit you for such procurement in the future. Neither JPL nor the Government will be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondent in furnishing this information. Following in the spirit of SPD-41 , prospective respondents are advised that any information provided shall be public. Responses to this RFI are due by 11:59 pm (PST) on February 1, 2022 . In compliance with NASA OSS policy and to provide a fair and transparent study, responses must be submitted as a public DOI. Respondents may acquire a public DOI through their institution or https://zenodo.org/. Please add the following conference details when you create your Zenodo DOI. To get a Zenodo DOI sign in https://zenodo.org/ and click Upload . Upload your content as a .PDF, fill out details and at the bottom of the form, please click on Conference and fill out the following information: Conference title: Open Sourced Science (OSS) for Earth System Observatory (ESO) Mission Science Data Processing Study. Dates: 1-4 March 2022. Website: https://earthdata.nasa.gov/esds/open-science/oss-for-eso-workshops 4.0 Disposition The Study Team Steering Committee will review each response and evaluate it for inclusion in the upcoming Workshop 2. All are welcome to participate. Each response to a topic area will be assigned one of the following ratings after evaluation: Highly relevant. The response contains information that is highly aligned with the goals of the Study and warrants deeper consideration by the Study Team. Responders will be invited to present their responses at Workshop 2 on March 1-4, 2022 and may participate in follow-on discussions. Relevant. The response contains information that supports the goals of the Study and will be considered by the Study Team. Responders may be contacted at a later date for more information. Out of Scope. The response does not contain information that supports the Study. The review dispensation will be completed and the results published on the study Website. Invited presenters of Workshop 2 will be notified by February 15, 2022, and participation is voluntary. The workshop will be held virtually to allow all presenters the ability to participate from their remote location and include the broader community in participation.