JPSS_1

Ball Aerospace & Technologies has integrated four of five flight instruments on NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-1) and is preparing to conduct environmental testing of the spacecraft.

The JPSS-1 instruments integrated include cross-track infrared sounder (CrlS), visible infrared imaging radiometer suite (VIIRS), O-zone mapping and profiler suite-nadir (OMPS-N) and clouds and the Earth’s radiant energy system (CERES).

The company intends to start environmental testing in early 2016 after installing advanced technology microwave sounder (ATMS) on the JPSS-1 with plans to deliver the satellite later the same year.

Scheduled for launch no later than the second quarter of 2017, the JPSS-1 will provide weather forecasting and severe storm warnings.

"The steady progress on JPSS-1 means the nation will soon have a second next-generation polar-orbiting satellite and the significance of that for protecting lives and property cannot be underestimate."

Ball operational Space business unit vice-president and general manager Cary Ludtke said: "The steady progress on JPSS-1 means the nation will soon have a second next-generation polar-orbiting satellite and the significance of that for protecting lives and property cannot be underestimated.

"Better forecasts are a critical enabler of what NOAA envisions as ‘A Weather-Ready Nation’ and Ball is proud to do its part."

The JPSS-1 will offer accurate and timely polar-orbiting weather data, which is currently offered by the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP) satellite.

Ball Aerospace was selected by Nasa to design and build the JPSS-1 satellite bus.

The company is also responsible to build the OMPS-Nadir instrument, integrate all instruments as well as conduct satellite-level testing and launch support.

Image: A Ball engineer inspects one of the sun sensors on the JPSS-1. Photo: courtesy of Ball Aerospace.