JPSS-2

Orbital ATK has secured a $253m contract from Nasa to design and build Joint Polar Satellite Systems-2 (JPSS-2) spacecraft for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The contract includes an option for two additional satellites, JPSS-3 and JPSS-4, valued $217m, which will increase value of the order to $470m.

Orbital ATK will design and fabricate the satellites, as well as conduct satellite-level testing, and support in-orbit check-out and mission operations.

"The critical data provided by these satellites will allow NOAA to continue its 50-plus year mission to protect lives and property from severe weather events and to enhance economic prosperity across a wide range of industries."

Built on Orbital ATK’s LEOStar-3 platform, the JPSS satellites will have a design life of at least seven years, and will assist NOAA to provide weather forecasting data and advance environmental and oceanographic science.

While extending the 40-year NOAA and Nasa partnership, the JPSS-2 satellite will allow operational continuity of space-based weather observations.

Orbital ATK president and CEO David Thompson said: "The critical data provided by these satellites will allow NOAA to continue its 50-plus year mission to protect lives and property from severe weather events and to enhance economic prosperity across a wide range of industries."

The JPSS-2 satellite is expected to be delivered in 2020. If options are exercised, the JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 would be delivered in 2024 and 2028, respectively.

The spacecraft will be manufactured and tested by the company’s Space Systems Group at its facilities in Gilbert, Arizona.

For the JPSS missions, Nasa manages the flight systems, launch services and ground system components.

Image: Artist rendering of NOAA’s JPSS-2 spacecraft in orbit. Photo: courtesy of Business Wire / Orbital ATK.