The Data to Drive Decisive Climate Adaptation and Science-Based Mitigation
Federal scientific agencies receive around-the-clock data from space-based and earthbound sensors. Modern data platforms that shorten the time it takes to get this information to end users are critical to collaboration and advancement in climate science.
New approaches to data architectures—like open systems, edge processing, and artificial intelligence (AI)—are key to delivering data where and when it’s needed most. With smart systems and space-based, terrestrial, and nano sensors relying on these platforms to turn their data into intelligence, building a secure and fault-tolerant foundation is imperative.
The figure below highlights how Booz Allen defines climate intelligence, starting with initial observation followed by processing and fusion, and, finally, to scientifically exploiting the integrated information to drive assured decision making.
Deploying Smart Edge Processing to Accelerate Sensor Ingestion
In the physical environment, the communication channels that deliver sensor information to atmospheric scientists and other climate actors are not always hardened. Extreme conditions can make such channels difficult or impossible to access, slowing data processing, or even altogether preventing data from being processed, fused, and disseminated. New onboard capabilities such as AI-powered analytics could empower these systems to respond to extreme environmental challenges like tsunamis or energy crises in real time—allowing systems to make decisions that deliver data to mission scientists when it is needed most. Moving compute capabilities to the edge makes the data pipeline more robust and ultimately allows for more data to be leveraged in the modeling and fusion process.
As a full-service partner offering an integrated, enterprise approach to edge computing, Booz Allen is ready to help organizations achieve mission success at the tactical edge.
Discover More on Edge Computing
Edge computing enables decentralized decision making beyond the IT enterprise—even in remote environments. Learn how edge computing can help achieve mission success at the tactical edge. Read More
Applying DevSecOps for Modern Satellite Ground Systems
Terrestrial stations play a leading role in modern space architectures, as new technologies give control centers the flexibility to expand capabilities in both new and existing systems. When designing a new ground-based satellite system, Booz Allen leverages DevSecOps to integrate development, security, and operations. This enables rapid development of new capabilities, and built-in adaptability to respond to unknown challenges. For example, ground systems can be equipped with software and algorithms allowing for the assessment of anomalies, with smart analytics alerting operators to potential failures before they happen.
Microservices architecture is a powerful example of innovation accelerated by combining multiple advanced technologies like AI and machine learning (ML). The modularization that microservices make possible empowers new approaches to modern satellite ground systems and cyber protection.
To meet the challenge of modernization, government leaders can leverage the latest developments in open systems architecture, flexible data frameworks, and DevSecOps to bring the ground stations of existing systems up to date—or build new ones entirely.
Explore More on DevSecOps
Enjoy the Full Advantages of Open Architectures
After launch, the space layer is beyond physical reach, but the ground layer remains accessible to add software, algorithms, and AI to correct problems or expand functionality. This allows for even a decades-old system to implement some of the latest innovations.
Open architectures make it possible to introduce microservices and modular components—building in flexibility for new systems and allowing changes to existing systems as missions and priorities evolve. Systems built with open architectures allow agencies to modernize at scale while providing advantages like cloud capabilities and data aggregation for advanced analytics.
Booz Allen does not develop rigid, proprietary solutions. We use standard APIs, storing them in industry-standard formats and maintaining them on secure cloud infrastructure so they can be made available for trusted partner organizations to access. In other words, the data can stay free so that government agencies can open it to anyone who has a great idea.
Enabling Interoperability for Digital Fusion Across Scientific Missions
Open data platforms remove barriers that challenge innovation by making both physical and virtual platforms more modular, and they’re becoming increasingly necessary for data fusion. Thus, many scientific agencies are moving towards adopting open approaches across enterprise platforms to improve their ability to make fast, well-informed decisions.
The proliferation of sensors and exponential increases in the amount of data being collected daily create a big challenge: extracting usable information from highly unstructured data and achieving understanding through information fusion. Scalable AI/ML algorithms can help organizations better leverage big data for faster, more informed decision making by enhancing model accuracy and improving model consistency and interpretability.
Booz Allen builds open data platforms that allow organizations to leverage the latest AI/ML modeling techniques. We're the largest provider of AI/ML in the public sector, with more than 120 projects.
Combining Mission, Scientific, and Technological Expertise
By applying experience-born mission insights and proven open solutions to accelerate technology transformations, Booz Allen helps free science-focused agencies to concentrate more on their core missions. We aim to empower our clients to consistently deliver on their scientific goals and improve their ability to stay ahead of climate threats.
