[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 15, Volume 3]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 15CFR911.3]



[Page 73-75]

 

                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE

 

CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 

                               OF COMMERCE

 

PART 911_POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CONCERNING USE OF THE NOAA SPACE-BASED 

DATA COLLECTION SYSTEMS--Table of Contents

 

Sec. 911.3  Definitions.



    For purposes of this part:



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    (a) Approving authority means NOAA for the GOES DCS; and it means 

the Argos Participating Agencies, via the Argos Operations Committee, 

for the Argos DCS.

    (b) Argos DCS means the system which collects data from fixed and 

moving platforms and provides platform location data. This system 

consists of platforms, the Argos French instrument on the Polar-orbiting 

Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) and other international 

satellites; a ground processing system; and telemetry ground stations.

    (c) Argos participating agencies means those agencies of the United 

States and other countries that participate in the management of the 

Argos DCS.

    (d) Assistant Administrator means the Assistant Administrator for 

Satellite and Information Services, NOAA, or his/her designee.

    (e) Director means the Director of the Office of Satellite Data 

Processing and Distribution for the National Environmental Satellite, 

Data, and Information Service of NOAA.

    (f) Environmental data means environmental measurement data for the 

purpose of using the GOES DCS; and it means environmental measurement 

and environmental protection data for the purpose of using the Argos 

DCS.

    (g) Environmental measurement data means data that relate to the 

characteristics of the Earth and its natural phenomena by helping to 

better understand, evaluate, or monitor its natural resources.

    (h) Environmental protection data means data that relate to the 

characteristics of the Earth and its environment (including its 

ecosystems and the species which inhabit them) by helping to protect 

against any unreasonable adverse effects thereto.

    (i) Episodic use means the use of the system for short events where 

there is a significant possibility of loss of life, such as for Arctic 

expeditions or scientific campaigns into remote areas.

    (j) Government interest means that the use is determined in advance 

to be of interest to one or more governmental entities of the United 

States, France or, once they have become an Argos Participating Agency, 

Japan or a European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological 

Satellites (EUMETSAT) member state; or also, in the case of the GOES 

DCS, a state or local government.

    (k) Government user means agencies of international governmental 

organizations, national government or any subdivision thereof, or any of 

those agencies' contractors or grantees, so long as the contractor is 

using the data collected by the NOAA DCS to fulfill its contractual 

obligations to the government agency or in the case of a grantee that 

these data are being used in accordance with the statement of work for 

the award.

    (l) NOAA DCS means the GOES and Argos space-based DCS.

    (m) Non-profit user means a not-for-profit academic, research, or 

other non-governmental organization, which is using these data, for 

education and/or scientific, non-commercial purposes.

    (n) Operational use means the use of data in a situation where the 

utility of the data are significantly reduced if not collected or 

delivered in a specific time window. This includes situations where 

extensive preparation work is in place and a delay in acquisition of 

data would jeopardize the project.

    (o) Platform compatibility means the compatibility of the platform 

with the space segment of the system, and includes elements such as 

message length and composition, signal strength, and transmission 

protocol (e.g., continuous versus event drive).

    (p) Sensitive use means the use of the NOAA DCS where the users' 

requirements dictate the use of a governmental system such as National 

security, homeland security, law enforcement and humanitarian 

operations.

    (q) Testing use means the use of the NOAA DCS by manufacturers of 

platforms for use in conjunction with the NOAA DCS, for the limited 

purpose of testing and certifying the compatibility of new platforms 

with the technical requirements of the NOAA DCS.

    (r) User means the entity and/or organization that owns or operates 

user platforms for the purpose of collecting and transmitting data 

through the NOAA DCS, or the organization requiring the collection of 

the data.



[[Page 75]]



    (s) User platform means device designed in accordance with the 

specifications delineated and approved by the Approving Authority used 

for the in-situ collection and subsequent transmission of data via the 

NOAA DCS. Those devices which are used in conjunction with the GOES DCS 

are referred to as data collection platforms (DCP) and those which are 

used in conjunction with the Argos DCS are referred to as Platform 

Transmitter Terminals (PTT). For purposes of these regulations, the 

terms ``user platform,'' ``DCP'', and ``PTT'' are interchangeable.

    (t) User requirement means the requirement expressed and explained 

in the System Use Agreement.



[63 FR 24922, May 6, 1998, as amended at 68 FR 45161, Aug. 1, 2003]