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Dr. Shailen Desai

Principal Research Technologist

About

Education

  • B.S., Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN
  • M.S., Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
  • Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

Research Interests

  • Calibration, validation, and science data product algorithm development of satellite altimeter measurement systems including the SWOT, Sentinel-6, Jason missions.
  • GNSS-based positioning applications and modeling, including terrestrial site positioning and precise orbit determination of GNSS constellations and low Earth orbiters.
  • Ocean tides and their effects on loading of the solid Earth, the Earth’s gravitational potential, and Earth rotation.
  • Non-tidal atmospheric and ocean loading of the solid Earth and their effects on the Earth’s gravitational potential.

Experience

Professional Experience

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1996-present)
    • Measurement System Engineer, Jason-1, Jason-2, Jason-3, Sentinel-6, SWOT, CRISTAL (1998-present)
    • Principal Research Technologist, Orbiter and Radio Metric Systems Group (2006-2012), Near Earth Tracking Applications Group (2012-2018), Tracking Systems and Applications Section (2018-present)
    • Group Supervisor, Orbiter and Radio Metric Systems Group (2007-2012)
    • Senior Engineer, Orbiter and Radio Metric Systems Group (1998-2006)
    • Engineer, Orbiter and Radio Metric Systems Group (1998)

Achievements

Awards & Recognitions

  • NASA Award | NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal | SWOT Mission (2024)
  • Professional Society and External Organization Awards | American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) | Associate Fellow (2023)
  • NASA Award | NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal | NASA Satellite Altimetry Missions (2017)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Medal | GPS Precise Orbit Determination Team (2010)
  • JPL Principal Designation | 3350 - Tracking Systems And Applications (2006)
  • NASA Award | NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal | Jason-1 Mission (2003)

Publications

From a total of 55 refereed publications:

  1. Desai, S. D., and A. Sibois, Evaluating predicted diurnal and semi-diurnal tidal variations in polar motion with GPS-based observations, J. Geophysical Research, 121, 2016, doi:10.1002/2016JB013125
  2. Desai, S. D., J. Wahr, and B. Beckley, Revisiting the pole tide for and from satellite altimetry, J. Geodesy, 89 (12), 1233-1243, 2015, doi:10.1007/s00190-015-0848-7, 2015.
  3. Desai, S. D., and R. D. Ray, Consideration of tidal variations in the geocenter on satellite altimeter observations of ocean tides, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 2454-2459, 2014.
  4. Desai, S. D., W. Bertiger, B. J. Haines, Self-consistent treatment of tidal variations in the geocenter for precise orbit determination, J. of Geodesy, 88, 735-747, 2014.
  5. Bertiger,W., S. Desai, B. Haines, N. Harvey, A. Moore, S. Owen, and J. Weiss, Single receiver phase ambiguity resolution with GPS data, J. Geodesy, 84, 327-337, 2010, doi:10.1007/s00190-010-0371-9
  6. Bertiger, W., S. Desai, A. Dorsey, B. Haines, N. Harvey, D. Kuang, A. Sibthorpe, and J. P. Weis, Sub-centimeter precision orbit determination with GPS for ocean altimetry, Marine Geodesy, 33 (S1), 363-378, 2010
  7. Desai, S. D., and B. J. Haines, Precise near-real-time sea surface height measurements from the Jason-1 and Jason-2/OSTM missions, Marine Geodesy, 33 (S1), 419-434, 2010.
  8. Brown, S., S. Desai, W. Lu, and A. Tanner, On the long term stability of noise diodes for microwave radiometer calibration, submitted, in press, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens., 2007.
  9. Desai, S. D., and D.-N. Yuan, Application of the convolution formalism to the ocean tide potential: Results from GRACE, J. Geophys. Res., 111, C06023, doi:10.1029/2005JC003361, 2006.
  10. Desai, S. D., and B. J. Haines, Monitoring measurements from the Jason-1 microwave radiometer and independent validation with GPS, J. Marine Geodesy, 27 (1-2), 221-240, 2004.
  11. Haines, B. J., Y. E. Bar-Sever, W. I. Bertiger, S. D. Desai, and P. Willis, One centimeter orbit determination for Jason-1: New GPS-based strategies, J. Marine Geodesy, 27 (1-2), 299-318, 2004.
  12. Desai, S. D., and B. J. Haines, Near-real-time GPS-based orbit determination and sea surface height observations from the Jason-1 mission, J. Marine Geodesy, 26 (3-4), 383-397, 2003.
  13. Desai, S. D., and P. Vincent, Statistical evaluation of the Jason-1 operational sensor data record, J. Marine Geodesy, 26 (3-4), 187-199, 2003.
  14. Desai, S. D., Observing the pole tide with satellite altimetry,, J. Geophys. Res., 107 (C11), 2002.
  15. Desai, S. D., J. M. Wahr, Monthly and fortnightly tidal variations of the Earth's rotation rate predicted by a TOPEX/POSEIDON empirical ocean tide model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 26 (8), 1035-1038, 1999.
  16. Desai, S. D., J. M. Wahr, and Y. Chao, Error analysis of empirical ocean tide models estimated from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry, J. Geophys. Res., 102 (C11), 25,157-25,172, 1997.
  17. Desai, S. D., and J. M. Wahr, Empirical ocean tide models estimated from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry, J. Geophys. Res., 100 (C12), 25,205-25,228, 1995.