On Setting and Achieving High Goals

There were months of delay in launching Terra into space. Then there were a few weeks of delay in getting Terra to its final orbit to begin science operations. But Grady and his flight operations team always kept things in perspective. As he encouraged and cajoled his team to work—often through weekends and holidays—to resolve the problems they encountered, he repeatedly reminded them that they were almost at the finish line after about 10 years of hard work. In one memo, he wrote: "The standard has been set, and the bar is quite high!"

The Terra Team responded beautifully to the challenge.
 

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"That’s what I like about this business most," notes Quinn. "If things just worked, it wouldn’t be all that exciting. But building a team, getting the grey matter to work, attacking and solving problems—that’s what I enjoy.

"We had people from all disciplines participating," he continues. "Seeing a team of professionals putting their heart into reaching a goal like that is very rewarding." Quinn points to a similar situation when he was part of the multi-disciplinary Apollo 13 team assembled to do quick and creative problem solving.

Quinn is optimistic that Terra’s troubles are behind it and the mission will be highly successful. "Hopefully, we’ve done everything right and Terra will outlive its 6-year lifetime estimate. I hope our baby will serve the world well."

Grady echoes Quinn’s sentiment. "Terra’s spacecraft subsystems are now operating almost flawlessly," he says. "From the very first day the instruments’ doors opened, we have been collecting spectacular images. After years of hard work, our efforts are now being rewarded with Terra’s initial science images.

"The flight operations team is to be congratulated for performing superbly," Grady concludes, "and I am grateful to everyone who hung in there. Their dedication and sacrifice have given the Earth science community the extraordinary opportunity to study the planet in a manner which promises to have profound impacts on mankind’s understanding of our home."

 The Unplanned Roll

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