NPOESS
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The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) is the United States' next-generation satellite system that will monitor the Earth's weather, atmosphere, oceans, land and near-space environment. NPOESS satellites will host proven technologies and operational versions of sensors that are currently under operational-prototyping by NASA. The estimated launch date for the first NPOESS satellite, "C1" or "Charlie 1" is around 2010, but schedule slippage and budgetary issues may push the launch date to 2014. Issues with sensor developments are the primary cited reason for delays and cost-overruns.
NPOESS will be jointly operated by the United States Department of Commerce, the United States Department of Defense, and NASA, combining their currently similar yet independent weather monitoring satellite systems. The current military system is called DMSP. Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST, formerly TRW) is the primary system integrator for the NPOESS project. Raytheon, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. and Boeing are developing the sensors.
The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) program plans to bridge the gap between old and new systems by flying new instruments on a satellite to be launched in 2006. The 4 instruments include the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), Cross-track Microwave Infrared Sounder (CMIS), Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS).
The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) is under review and the launch date has been postponed.
