About

Scott M. Bailey is a professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado earned in 1995, an M.S. from the same institution earned in 1994, and a B.S. from Virginia Tech obtained in 1990. His research interests include satellite mission design, space science, signals and systems, electromagnetics, remote sensing of the upper atmosphere, space and atmospheric science, and the coupling of atmospheric regions. Bailey has received numerous awards and honors, including the Aspire! Award for Courageous Leadership in 2023, Citizen of the Year from the Blacksburg Christiansburg Rotary Club in 2022, and the NASA Group Achievement Award multiple times. He is actively involved in research and teaching within the field of electrical and computer engineering, contributing to the advancement of space science and atmospheric studies.

Research topics

• Geology
• Atmospheric sciences
• Physics
• Environmental science
• Geometry
• Meteorology
• Geodesy
• Computer Science
• Geophysics
• Climatology
• Simulation
• Astronomy
• Mathematics
• Astrophysics
• Optics

Selected publications

• The Interannual Variability of SBUV PMC Frequencies at 80{degree sign}N: Assessment of Space Traffic and Other Key Drivers

  2026-05-08

  article
  PublisherDOI

• The Student Nitric Oxide Explorer

  2025-08-27 · 25 citations

  articleOpen access

  The Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) is a small scientific spacecraft designed for launch on a Pegasus™ XL launch vehicle for the USRA Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative. Its scientific goals are to measure nitric oxide density in the lower thermosphere and analyze the energy inputs to that region from the sun and magnetosphere that create it and cause its abundance to vary dramatically. These inputs are energetic solar photons in the EUV and X -ray spectral regions, and energetic electrons that are accelerated into the polar regions, where they cause auroral disturbances and displays. Both of these phenomena are aspects of solar variability; thermospheric nitric oxide responds to that variability and in turn determines key temperature and compositional aspects of the thermosphere and ionosphere through its radiative and chemical properties. The SNOE ("snowy") spacecraft and its instrument complement is being designed, built, and operated entirely at the University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CU/LASP). The spacecraft is a compact hexagonal structure, 37" high and 39" across its widest dimension, weighing approximately 220 Ibs. It will be launched into a circular orbit, 550±50 km altitude, at 97.5° inclination for sun-synchronous precession at 10:30-22:30 solar time. It will spin at 5 rpm with the spin axis normal to the orbit plane. It carries three instruments: An ultraviolet spectrometer to measure nitric oxide altitude profiles, a two-channel ultraviolet photometer to measure auroral emissions beneath the spacecraft, and a five-channel solar soft X-ray photometer. The spacecraft structure is aluminum, with a center platform section for the instruments and primary components and truss work to hold the solar arrays. Power is regulated using switched arrays and a partial shunt. The attitude determination and control system uses a magnetometer, two torque rods, and two horizon crossing indicators to measure spin rate and orientation. Attitude control is implemented open-loop by ground commands. The command and data handling system is implemented using a single spacecraft microprocessor that handles all spacecraft and communications functions and instrument data. The communications system is NASA compatible for downlink using the Autonomous Ground Services station at Poker Flat; all mission operations, data processing, and analysis will be performed using a project operations control center (POCC) at the LASP Space Technology Research building.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Validation of CIPS Version 5.20 PMC Data

  Earth and Space Science · 2025-11-29

  articleOpen access

  Abstract The Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) instrument operated onboard the NASA Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite from April 2007 to March 2023. CIPS was a nadir‐viewing UV imager that made global measurements of scattered sunlight at high spatial resolution. These measurements were capable of discriminating the scattering of UV solar photons from Polar Mesospheric Cloud (PMC) ice particles against the background sunlit atmosphere at multiple coincident scattering angles, providing a direct measurement of the PMC ice scattering phase function. These measurements were used to retrieve a suite of critical PMC data products including cloud frequency, albedo, mean particle radius, and ice water content. The CIPS data set covers 15 complete PMC seasons in each hemisphere. In this paper we describe and validate the final archived PMC data version, v5.20r08. The version 5 retrieval algorithms represent a complete overhaul of the previously published version 4 data. These changes were implemented to allow for a consistent set of retrievals using data from multiple CIPS measurement sequences adopted in response to the changing AIM orbit geometry. We summarize the CIPS measurement sequences and sampling, describe the improvements in the version 5 data and give a detailed comparison of the v4.20 and v5.20 data sets. The v5.20 cloud frequencies are then compared to measurements from the Advanced Himawari Imager full disk imaging instrument, providing a mutual validation of the two data sets. Taken together, these results demonstrate the high quality and scientific validity of the CIPS v5.20 PMC data products.

  PublisherDOI

• 566 Improving nutritional status in adult CF patients using body composition measurements

  Journal of Cystic Fibrosis · 2025-10-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• The SNOE Spacecraft: Integration, Test, Launch, Operation, and On-orbit Performance

  Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin · 2025-08-07 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  The Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) was launched on 26 February 1998. Its objectives are to measure nitric oxide density in the lower thermosphere, to analyze the solar and auroral fluxes that create it and cause its variation, and to demonstrate the feasibility of low-cost, University-based missions that include a high degree of student participation. The SNOE spacecraft and instruments were designed and built at the University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CU/LASP). It travels in a 580 x 550 km, sunsynchronous orbit with a 10:30 AM ascending node. It spins at 5 rpm with the spin axis normal to the orbit plane. It carries three instruments: An ultraviolet spectrometer to measure nitric oxide altitude profiles on the limb, a two-channel ultraviolet photometer to measure auroral emissions in the nadir, and a five-channel solar soft X-ray photometer. An experimental GPS receiver is also included for orbit determination. This paper describes completion of the SNOE project through integration and test, launch site operations at Vandenberg AFB, the early-orbit campaign, and routine mission and science operations. The on-orbit performance of the spacecraft subsystems is assessed, including the passive thermal regulation system as well as the electrical and computer systems. SNOE is in good health and appears to be headed for a long and successful mission.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cryogenic gas cell for infrared space instrumentation

  2025-09-17

  article

  The Doppler Wind and Temperature Sounder (DWTS) is being developed for flight on NASA’s Dynamical Neutral Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (DYNAMIC) satellite. DWTS will view the Earth limb orthogonal to the spacecraft ram and uses gas-filter correlation radiometry to detect the Doppler shift of atmospheric emission. The observations yield horizontal winds and kinetic temperature with high precision, excellent spatial resolution, and altitude coverage from 40–250 km. DWTS detects Doppler shifting of NO and 13CO2 atmospheric emission lines by passing the incident light through an onboard cell containing both gases that is cooled to near cryogenic temperatures. This work describes the DWTS instrument, and the results of a recent program completed to space qualify the gas cell. This effort integrated a flight-like gas cell into a prototype DWTS optical bench assembly (OBA) and subjected it to extended periods in thermal vacuum, repeated thermal cycling, and vibrational testing, all consistent with anticipated launch and flight conditions. Detailed observations of the DWTS gas cell indicate that it survived testing without compromise and justify a technology readiness level (TRL) of six.

  PublisherDOI

• Global equatorial F- and E-region ionospheric irregularities from COSMIC-RO and SCINDA-GNSS observations

  Journal of Applied Geodesy · 2025-06-13 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Abstract This study utilizes data from the FORMOSAT-3/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate radio occultation (COSMIC-RO) observations and ground-based Scintillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) GNSS recordings at four longitudinal stations situated in the vicinity of the magnetic equator for probing the characteristics of the ionospheric F and E region irregularities in the equatorial region. We utilize the amplitude scintillation index (S4) derived from these datasets to understand the morphology of nighttime and daytime plasma irregularities in the equatorial ionosphere. By combining ground-based data with a limb-viewing geometry from space, valuable complementary information has been obtained on the nighttime/daytime scintillation occurrences and their morphological associations with the equatorial irregularities in the F (equatorial plasma bubbles, EPB) and E (sporadic E layer; Es) region ionosphere. The occurrence of amplitude scintillation retrieved from COSMIC RO data was calculated to analyze its diurnal and seasonal variations. By conducting a statistical analysis on a dataset in 2013, we observed that the occurrence of ionospheric scintillation, as measured by both techniques, displayed similar variations. In this study, it is observed that scintillation in daytime is associated with Es and is predominantly seen over the Asian sector whilst nighttime scintillation associated with plasma bubbles is most frequently observed in the African sector. These results emphasize the need for RO profiles from active missions to serve as effective tools for monitoring scintillation events both regionally and globally.

  PublisherDOI

• The Influence of Space Traffic on AIM/CIPS PMC Frequencies at 80°N

  Earth and Space Science · 2024-07-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We explore the effects of lower thermospheric water vapor deposited by launch vehicle plumes on polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) frequencies at 80°N. We use July‐averaged PMC frequencies from 2007 to 2022 from the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size (CIPS) instrument on NASA's Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite. Launch sites worldwide are typically located near northern mid‐latitudes. Using the orbital launch record for the same time period, we find that the number of launches correlates with PMC frequencies with a coefficient of r = 0.60, which increases to r = 0.75 when only selecting launches from 2.5 to 21.5 local time (LT), indicating a weak LT dependence on global‐scale transport to 80°N. To support our findings, we use meridional winds from the Michelson Interferometer for Global High‐resolution Imaging experiment on NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite and winds from the Horizontal Wind Model climatology to interpret the northward motion of air parcels at 105 km. We find the launch LT window that maximizes the correlation coefficient to be consistent with the expected maximum northward motion from the diurnal variation of mid‐latitude meridional winds. Comparisons with Microwave Limb Sounder satellite observations of upper mesospheric temperature and water vapor reveal a strong dependence of cloud frequency on water vapor ( r = 0.86) but not on temperature ( r = −0.26), indicating that water vapor is the primary source of PMC variability for the bright PMCs at 80°N. We therefore find that launch vehicle plumes originating primarily from northern mid‐latitudes modulate PMC frequency at 80°N in July.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Driving the wedge: Understanding an improved Cas9 to better engineer others

  Molecular Cell · 2024-06-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Improving ionospheric predictability requires accurate simulation of the mesospheric polar vortex

  2023-07-31

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• C. E. Randall

  119 shared

• T. N. Woods

  University of Colorado Boulder

  75 shared

• Mark E. Hervig

  G & A Technical Software (United States)

  70 shared

• A. W. Merkel

  Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

  70 shared

• James M. Russell

  Brown University

  57 shared

• S. C. Solomon

  NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research

  55 shared

• C. A. Barth

  51 shared

• D. E. Siskind

  51 shared

Labs

• Scott M. Bailey LabPI

Education

• PhD, Astrophysical, Planatery, and Atmospheric Sciences

  University of Colorado Boulder

  1995

• BS, Physics

  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

  1990

Awards & honors

• Virginia Tech Faculty-Staff Aspire! Award for PREPARE FOR A…
• Citizen of the Year, Blacksburg Christiansburg Rotary Club -…
• Bradley Senior Faculty Fellow - 2020
• NASA Group Achievement Award, SDO / EVE Experiment - 2018
• NASA 2015 Robert H. Goddard award - 2016