THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO THE ICESAT2 PROJECT OFFICE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT OFICESAT2 ICE-SHEET AND OCEAN PROCESSING IN THE INSTRUMENT PRE-LAUNCH TO POST-LAUNCH PERIOD. THE CO-PIS JAMES MORISON AND BEN SMITH ON THIS PROPOSAL ARE PRESENTLY ON THE ICESAT2 SCIENCE DEFINITION TEAM (SDT) AND ARE LEAD AUTHORS OF THE ICESAT2 ALGORITHM TECHNICAL BASIS DOCUMENTS (ATBD) FOR LAND ICE ELEVATION (ATL06) AND OCEAN SURFACE HEIGHT (MORISON ATL-12). AS OF THIS WRITING THE SOFTWARE FOR ALONG-TRACK PROCESSING OF THESE TWO COMPONENTS IS LARGELY IN HAND AT NASA GODDARD THROUGH ASAS V3.3. HOWEVER THERE ARE KNOWN REFINEMENTS REQUIRED BEFORE THE LAUNCH OF ICESAT2 IN FALL 2018. IN ADDITION BEFORE LAUNCH THE CO-PIS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING SOFTWARE FOR PRODUCTION OF HIGHER-LEVEL PRODUCTS: ANTARCTICA/GREENLAND ICE SHEET H(T) SERIES (SMITH A TL-11 ) ANTARCTICA/GREENLAND ICE SHEETH(T) GRIDDED (SMITH ATL-14) ANTARCTICA/GREENLAND ICE SHEET DH/DT GRIDDED (SMITH ATL-15) AND MEAN SEA SURFACE (MORISON ATL-19). AFTER LAUNCH THE CO-PIS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING PERFORMANCE OF THE ICESAT2 PROCESSING SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE AND RECOMMENDING MODIFICATIONS TO CORRECT THE DEFICIENCIES FOUND. DOWNLOADING THE DATA AND QUALITY CHECKING THEM WILL ESSENTIALLY REQUIRE AT LEAST ONE PERSON FULL TIME AFTER LAUNCH. ADDITIONALLY THE CO-PLS WILL NEED TO BECOME INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE DOWNLOAD PROCEDURES AND NASA-DERIVED SOFTWARE BEFORE LAUNCH. IN LIGHT OF THE TIME COMMITMENT REQUIRED PRE- AND POST-LAUNCH OF ICESAT2 WE PROPOSE TO GATHER A POLAR SCIENCE CENTER ICESAT2 TEAM WHICH WILL ADDRESS BOTH THE COMMON (E.G. VETTING OF ATL-03 PRODUCTS) AND INDIVIDUAL (ATL-14 15 AND 19 GRIDDED PRODUCTS) OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE ICE SHEET AND OCEAN COMPONENTS OFICESAT2 DATA PROCESSING. TO THIS END SMITH AND MORISON REQUEST SALARY SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES AND A THIRD ANALYST/PROGRAMMER SUZANNE DICKINSON. SUZANNE HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE FROM UW AND IS AN EXPERIENCED AND CAPABLE ANALYST/PROGRAMMER. SHE HAS WORKED WITH FORTRAN MATLAB AND PYTHON. SHE HAS A STRONG BACKGROUND IN SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING HAVING WORKED WITH KATHY KELLY FOR MANY YEARS ANALYZING SCATTEROMETER ALTIMETRY AND OTHER SATELLITE DATA OVER THE OPEN OCEAN. MOST RECENTLY SHE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MORISON AND RON KWOK (A TBD LEAD FOR ARCTIC/ ANTARCTIC SEA ICE HEIGHT A TL-07 AND FREEBOARD A TL-10) MERGING GRIDDING AND ANALYZING ICESAT AND CRYOSAT2 ALTIMETRY OVER THE ARCTIC OCEAN AND SUB-ARCTIC SEAS. WE ALSO ARE SEEKING FUNDING TO BUY A COMPUTER DEDICATED TO DOWNLOADING ICESAT-2 DATA AND RUNNING DEVELOPMENTAL AND OPERATIONAL ICESAT-2 SOFTWARE HERE AT PSC.