The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) team led by Northrop Grumman [NOC] has delivered a critical sensor, the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the company said.
NPOESS is the nation’s next-generation, low-Earth orbiting operational weather and climate monitoring system that is designed to provide operational and long-term weather and climate data to military and civilian users around the clock for the next two decades. As part of the NPOESS system, VIIRS will provide highly detailed color imagery of clouds, vegetation, snow cover, dust storms and other environmental phenomena.
The sensor that was delivered will be integrated on to the NPOESS Preparatory Project spacecraft, according to a Northrop Grumman press statement. The spacecraft is expected to be launched next year.
Raytheon [RTN] built the instrument under contract to NPOESS prime contractor Northrop Grumman.
A second VIIRS flight unit scheduled for deployment on the first NPOESS spacecraft, known as C1, is maturing steadily. Component production is in progress and buildup of the sensor is ongoing.