Due to the recent PWA failure on the EOS Terra spacecraft, MODIS has a reduced on-board memory allocation. Initial efforts reduced the data rate of day mode data (reflective solar band measurements) near the poles in a uniform manner. In an attempt to provide near-global two-day coverage, an alternating schedule was implemented starting November 8, 2020 (2020/313).

This new schedule adjusts when day rate data is collected relative to the nominal collection times to fill-in areas near the poles that were not observed using the uniform adjustment previously in place. 

MODIS IOT is continuing to evaluate this new method to determine how it meets the needs of the science community and where areas of improvement may be.