Petulant Mode Reset

[I meant to post this last week, but never got around to finishing the post. As they say in the satellite world, OBE, Overcome By Events. Anyhoo, this makes a good Technology Tuesday post.]

I'm dealing with some intermittent data dropouts in this satellite dataset.  Data drops are common, but the amount and frequency of data drops lately has been alarming (to me).  I've seen little credible information in the media (except this) about the issue and the NOAA/NCEP bulletins have been (as usual) terse and sticks only to facts that have already happened.

Anyway, there are myriad problems.  First, there is a network problem on the ground, which they are working hard to troubleshoot and fix.  Then there are issues with the individual satellites themselves that can stem from myriad causes, both scheduled and "anomalies".

A short data drop looks like this:

NPP_VMAE_L1 global browse
RGB (Bands:M5, M4, M3)
Data Day 2014.269

The explanation:

Case #:PM_NPP_L1B_14269 Opening date: 09/29/14 Last update: 09/29/14
Status: Note
VIIRS went to 'Petulant' Mode on 09/29/2014 (2014.269) at 16:20:00 GMT. As a result, VIIRS science data output was impacted from 16:20:00 GMT to 18:35:00 GMT. The data regions impacted by this event are nighttime orbits over Asia including India, China and Southeast Asia and Australia. Additionally, Daytime orbits over North and South America are impacted. The images below show the impact of the event on the daytime surface reflectant and night time cloud mask data streams. Both the IDPS and LPEATE data archives will be impacted by this event.

I try not to anthropomorphize satellites, but they really do have unique indiosynchrasies.

VIIRS sensor being prepared for launch.

Satellite sensors can have a "petulant mode"?  Does that mean that they talk only when they want to talk, and sometimes don't reply when spoken to?   This results in loss of data products as explained here.  (Not a permalink and may point to a different alert msg if another one is added.)

000
NOUS71 KNES 051248
ADANES
SUBJECT: PRODUCT/OUTAGE ANOMALY, NCEP ANCILLARY DATA DELAY,
*TOPIC: *NCEP ANCILLARY DATA DELAY. *

DATE/TIME ISSUED**:*NOVEMBER 05, 2014 1240 UTC*
*

*PRODUCT(S) OR DATA IMPACTED:*ANCILLARY DATA

*DATE/TIME OF INITIAL IMPACT:*NOVEMBER 5, 2014 1000 UTC **

*DATE/TIME OF EXPECTED END:***TBD

*LENGTH OF EVENT:*TBD*

**DETAILS/SPECIFICS OF CHANGE:*NESDISIDPS ONLY RECEIVED 61 FILES OF 66
FILESFOR THE 0600 SYNOPTIC TIME ON 11-05-2014 (JDAY 309). NCEP FILES 4
- 8 WERE MISSING OR NOT PRODUCED. SOME PRODUCTS MAY BE DEGRADED.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUING.

*CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:* ESPC OPERATIONS AT
ESPCOPERATIONS@NOAA.GOV AND
301-817-3880

*WEB SITE(S) FOR APPLICABLE INFORMATION:*N/A **

As a data curator, I can do nothing but put a note on the data access page specifying the extent of the missing data.

The proposed solution had me in stitches:

000
NOUS71 KNES 062148
ADANES
SUBJECT: PRODUCT/OUTAGE ANOMALY, IDPS DATA DELIVERY SYSTEM DELIVERY
*TOPIC:* IDPS**DATA DELIVERY SYSTEM (DDS) DELIVERY DELAY*

DATE/TIME ISSUED**:*NOVEMBER 06, 2014 2137 UTC*
*

*PRODUCT(S) OR DATA IMPACTED:*ALL DATA

*DATE/TIME OF INITIAL IMPACT:*NOVEMBER 6, 2014 1900 UTC **

*DATE/TIME OF EXPECTED END:***NOVEMBER 6, 2014 0000 UTC

*LENGTH OF EVENT:*5 HOURS*

**DETAILS/SPECIFICS OF CHANGE:*IN THE BACK ORBIT OF CONTACT 15683, THE
DATA DELIVERY SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WE HAVE SHUT IT OFF FOR
THE TIME BEING AND WILL BE RECYCLING THE SYSTEM DURING THE BACK
ORBIT OF
CONTACT 15684. THIS SHOULD ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO START ANEW AND RESUME
DELIVERIES.

*CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:* ESPC OPERATIONS AT
ESPCOPERATIONS@NOAA.GOV AND
301-817-3880

*WEB SITE(S) FOR APPLICABLE INFORMATION:*N/A **

Would it be possible to recycle/perform a system reset when my teenager goes into "petulant mode"?  As they say in the space business, "Space is hard."  And teenagers are even harder.  ;-)