Schedules >> EOS Polar Ground Network (EPGN)

Both Aqua and Terra satellites are capable of transmitting data to a set of NASA's Polar Ground Network stations. The main EPGN stations used for EOS satellites are located in Svalbard island (Norway) and Alaska. For Aqua this is a primary downlink channel and nearly each station contact possibility is used to download recorded on-board data. While for the Terra this is a reserve channel and it is used quite rarely.

The problem is that EOS satellites can not provide Direct Broadcast mode transmission during EPGN station contacts. This means that availability of EOS DB data over north regions is limited (this mainly concerns Aqua) 

Following map shows visibility zones of EPNG stations in Svalbard and Alaska at 0, 5 and 10 deg. elevations.  As usual EPGN contacts start and end at several degrees elevation. So the outer rings may be used to estimate regions over which EOS DB stations may miss data.

EPGN station codes and locations are
   AGS = Alaska Ground Station (Fairbanks, Alaska,USA)
   PF1 =  DataLynx ground station  (Poker Flat, Alaska,USA)
   SGS = Svalbard Ground Station (Svalbard,Norway)
   SKS =  Kongsberg-Lockheed Martin ground station (Svalbard,Norway)
   WGS = Wallops Ground Station (Wallops,Virginia,USA)