Subject: [SLR-Mail] No. 1943: Transition to new ILRS data format
From: Randy Ricklefs/ILRS CB <Carey Noll <Carey.Noll@nasa.gov>>

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SLR Electronic Mail          2010-12-22 09:41:00 UTC           Message No. 1943 
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Author: Randy Ricklefs/ILRS CB
Subject: Transition to new ILRS data format

To: Users of ILRS Data

Dear Colleagues,

As most of you know, the ILRS have been in the process of transitioning
from the old data formats, CSTG normal point and Merit II full rate, to
the new CRD (Consolidated laser Ranging Data) format over the last few
years. A formal validation process has been used to insure that the CRD
data sent from the stations matches or surpasses the quality of data in
the old format. Most of the SLR stations have now successfully passed
this validation process, and all the SLR analysis groups have or are
close to finishing their conversion. 

As has been announced earlier, the CRD format will be the operational
format for all ILRS data distribution as of January 15, 2011. At that
point, the following will happen.

1) All validated stations sending both CRD and old format data in
parallel should halt transmission of the old format;

2) All stations that have not been validated to send CRD data will
temporarily have their new data converted to the CRD format by the
Operations Centers (OCs). Stations are still expected to convert to the
new format as soon as possible, as the old format lacks many of the
useful capabilities of the new format.

3) CRD normal points will continue to be back-converted to the old
format and distributed in parallel with the CRD normal points for a
period of 2 months. This will serve as a grace period to allow other
data users to finish conversion.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions on the conversion.

Thank you to all the stations, operations centers, data centers, and
analysis centers for the long, hard work it took to make this conversion
a success.

Best regards,
Randall Ricklefs
for the ILRS Data Formats and Procedures Working Group 
and the ILRS Central Bureau
-- 
-----------------------    Randy Ricklefs    ------------------------
                      ricklefs@csr.utexas.edu
    Center for Space Research,  The University of Texas at Austin
  Phone:(512) 471-8121    Austin TX 78712       FAX:  (512)471-3570

From: Carey Noll <Carey.Noll@nasa.gov> 

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