NPOESS - Entering a New Era National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Briefing for House Committee on Science April 30, 2001NPOESS and GOES
Briefing by
Executive Director
Integrated Program Office
May 22, 2001
In the United States as well as internationally, the public expects to be provided with accurate weather and natural disaster forecasts and warnings. As our ability to predict seasonal-to-interannual climate change--such as El Niño--improves, the public will expect accurate longer-term forecasts as well. These forecasts depend on infrastructure of a different type--satellites, observing systems (e.g., Doppler weather radar and oceanographic buoys), and extensive communications systems. As we enter the 21st Century, the public's expectations for accurate weather and disaster forecasts are becoming greater. We need to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is provided. Today, I will spend a few minutes discussing a U.S. tri-agency and international cooperative program that will assist in meeting the demands of the next millennium,... <NEXT SLIDE>
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
A Tri-agency Effort to Leverage and Combine Environmental Satellite Activities
Mission
Provide a national, operational, polar-orbiting remote-sensing capability
Achieve National Performance Review (NPR) savings by converging DoD and NOAA satellite programs
Incorporate new technologies from NASA
Encourage International Cooperation
Saves > $1.8B through System Life Cycle compared to NPR target of $1.3B
NPOESS is Good Government!
...establishing the NPOESS program was signed in May 1995. The Departments of Commerce and Defense and NASA created the NPOESS Integrated Program Office (IPO) to develop, acquire, manage, and operate the next generation of polar-orbiting operational environmental satellites. As part of this effort, the United States has partnered with the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) to provide long-term continuity of observations from polar orbit that will continue and improve the operational meteorological and environmental forecasting and global climate monitoring services of the participating organizations.
NPOESS is well positioned to meet its mission.
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National Importance
Civilian Community
Timely, accurate, and cost-effective public warnings and forecasts of severe weather events, reduce the potential loss of human life and property and advance the national economy
Support of general aviation, agriculture, and maritime communities aimed at increasing U.S. productivity
NPOESS Goal: Improve the Nation’s Space-Based, Remote Sensing Capabilities for Environmental Monitoring
Military Community
Shift tactical and strategic focus from “coping with weather” to anticipating and exploiting atmospheric and space environmental conditions
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Why Polar-orbiting Satellites?
Complement Geostationary Systems
Provide global coverage at high spatial resolution, particularly in high latitudes
Polar-orbiting satellites critical for warnings and forecasts in Alaska
Real-time environmental data 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
Provide critical environmental information in areas where data are limited, denied, or controlled by opposing forces
LEO platforms more suitable for microwave and active sensors
Crucial to delivering Synoptic Data for Global Forecast Models
POES infrared satellite image centered over the Bering - 1 Mar 00, 1624Z
GOES-10 infrared satellite image
1 Mar 00, 1626Z
Why Polar-orbiting Satellites?
Evolution
Today
NPOESS
U.S. civil and defense programs, working in partnership with EUMETSAT, will ensure improved global coverage and long-term continuity of observations at less cost!
Local Equatorial Crossing Time
Local Equatorial Crossing Time
METOP
0530
0830
1330
0930
DMSP
DMSP
POES
NPOESS is evolving the United States’ 4 spacecraft polar-orbiting satellite system into a two satellite system based on U.S. civil and national security requirements. Consistent with the PDD, the NPOESS program is implementing the converged system in a manner that encourages cooperation with foreign governments and international organizations, specifically leveraging European developed payloads and relying on EUMETSAT to provide the satellite for the third plane of the 3-satellite Joint Polar System constellation that will ensure global coverage for key environmental data.
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Satellite Transition Schedule
(17 April 2001)
POES
DMSP
NPOESS
C3
POES
NPOESS
F20
NPOESS
DMSP
METOP
NPOESS
EOS-Aqua
NPP
EOS-Terra
WindSat/Coriolis
CY
99
00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
03
08
09
10
01
02
07
04
05
06
NPOESS Requirements
First success after eight previous attempts
Solar Geophysical
Where we sense
Environmental Data Records
Atmospheric Vertical Moisture Profile
Downward Longwave Radiance (Sfc)
Atmospheric Vertical Temperature Profile
Soil Moisture
Total Water Content
Cloud Optical Depth/Transmittance
Neutral Density Profile
Mass Loading / Turbidity
Cloud Top Height
Vegetation Index (NDVI)
Cloud Top Pressure
By Sensor Allocation
The ORD lists 61 users requirements. Six of these which are critical, as indicated by the star.
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
Environmental Data Records
Soil Moisture
Total Water Content
Neutral Density Profile
The NPOESS sensor suites are being designed to deliver 61 primary Environmental Data Records (EDR) to end users. These measurements encompass atmospheric, oceanic, terrestrial, and solar-geophysical parameters. Complementary measurements from multiple instrument suites will improve capabilities for all-weather imaging and sounding.
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NPOESS Payloads
IPO Developed
Cross-track IR Sounder (CrIS)* X X (IASI/HIRS) X
Conical MW Imager/Sounder (CMIS)* X X X
Ozone Mapper/Profiler Suite (OMPS) X X (GOME)
GPS Occultation Sensor (GPSOS) X X X (GRAS)
Space Environmental Sensor Suite (SESS) X X X (SEM)
Leveraged
Data Collection System (DCS) X X X
Search and Rescue (SARSAT) X X X
Earth Radiation Budget Sensor X
Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) X
Radar altimeter (ALT) X
Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) X
0530
1330
0930
METOP
NPP
1030
0930
Free
Flyer
The entire NPOESS payload complement. The top five being developed by the IPO.
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
Instruments in
Development/Production Phase
[NASA/GSFC Notional Design]
[Artist Conception]
[Artist Conception]
OMPS
CMIS
VIIRS
VIIRS Specificatons and Performance
Specifications
- 1302 spectral channels
CrIS Specificatons and Performance
)
NPOESS Risk Reduction
Early delivery of NPOESS data to users
Sensor demonstrations on non-operational platforms
Lower risk to operational users
Lower risk of launch delays due to
operational schedule
NAST deployed to Okinawa/Alaska
WindSat
Proteus
NPP
DIDM
SOLSE
LORE
NPOESS is currently undergoing a number of risk reduction activities. The purpose of this risk reduction phase is to converge remote sensing sensors & risk reduction flights to satisfy NPOESS operational requirements & agency long-term data continuity requirements. We will perform demonstration flights that are not tied to operational satellites to lower risk to operational users & lower risk of launch delays due to operational schedule. These activities also share cost & risk of development of these instrument among the supporting agencies. I’d like to talk about three examples: the NPOESS Aircraft Sounder Testbed (NAST), WindSat/Coriolis, & the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP).
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Joint IPO/NASA Risk Reduction Demo
NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP)
VIIRS - Vis/IR Imager Radiometer Suite (IPO Developed)
CrIS - Cross-track IR Sounder (IPO Developed)
ATMS - Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (NASA)
TBD - Instrument of Opportunity
Provides lessons learned and allows for any required modifications in time to support NPOESS first launch readiness
Ground System Risk Reduction
Early delivery and test of a subset of NPOESS - like ground system elements.
Early User Evaluation of NPOESS data products
Provides algorithms / instrument verification and opportunities for instrument calibration / validation
Allows for algorithm modification prior to NPOESS first launch
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
NPOESS Aircraft Sounder Testbed
*Hurricane Bonnie Cross-Section
The objective of the NPOESS Aircraft Sounder Testbed (NAST) is to provide airborne infrared and microwave spectral radiances through field experiments to:
Support determination of optimal spectral characteristics and calibration of IR and MW sounders for NPOESS;
Determine spatial resolution and scan geometry for NPOESS sounders required to optimize soundings in the presence of clouds;
Validate retrieval algorithms and accuracies for different climatic zones, meteorological and surface conditions, and cloud situations;
Demonstrate the utility of the NPOESS specified sounding system for observing significant atmospheric processes (e.g., storm genesis and evolution, jet stream position and intensity, sea breeze phenomena, fog formation and dissipation, clear air turbulence, precipitation and cloudiness, etc.).
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NAST Demonstrates Wind Profiling Capability
for a Geostationary Satellite
Geostationary Imaging FTS (GIFTS)
Measurement Capabilities: Imaging, Sounding, and Chemistry
Full Disk Imagery with < 10 minute refresh rate, IR (4 Km) /VIS (1 Km)
Regional (6000 km x 6000 km) Imagery: Multi-spectral IR and Day/night Visible Imagery, with < 5 minute refresh rate
(3000 km x 3000 km < 1 min, 500 km x 500 km < 5 sec)
Full Disk Sounding: Hourly Temperature, Moisture, and Winds for Global Forecasting
Regional (6000 km x 6000 km) Sounding: Half Hourly, High Spatial Resolution Temperature, Moisture, and Wind Soundings for Regional Weather Forecasting. (3000 km x 3000 km < 10 min)
Mesoscale (3000 km x 3000 km) Sounding: Hourly, Ultra-high Vertical Resolution Soundings for Chemistry, Hazardous Weather Prediction Applications, and Self-Validation of Regional and Full Disk Products
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
A More Capable System
First Image from TIROS-1
First Image from EOS-Terra
24 February 2000
On April 1, 2000, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the launch of the world's first weather satellite. The first image received from TIROS television picture transmission yielded a rather fuzzy view (500 lines, each containing 500 pixels) of weather systems over part of the globe.. Contrast that to today’s technologies, which employ high resolution, multi-spectral imaging and sounding capabilities required to support advanced global and regional numerical weather prediction models. Here is one of the first images from the MODIS instrument aboard EOS-Terra, a product very similar to that to be obtained by the VIIRS aboard the NPP. <NEXT SLIDE>
Background
This image of the Mississippi Delta was obtained on February 24, 2000 and is one of the first scenes acquired by the Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the EOS-Terra Spacecraft. It covers an area of 100km by 100km over New Orleans, Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico. Some features clearly visible on the image are:
the classic bird’s foot shape of the Mississippi River’s channels in the delta
sediment plumes around the delta and between the barrier islands north of it
differences in ocean color between the shallow bays behind the barrier islands and the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The scene was made by combining three of the visible bands of the MODIS Land Surface Reflectance product In the next decade, NPOESS will begin delivering imagery and sounding data at high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolutions necessary to support analysis, prediction, and scientific understanding of the Earth system.
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
Long-Range Integrated Satellite Transition
GEOsynchronous Global Constellation
GEO and conical sensor FOV with a half cone = 8.25°
Walker 7 / 7 / 5 constellation with inclination = 45° able to provide continuous global coverage
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
GEO Walker 7/7/5 Animation
Time is indicated in white at top of movie frame
Satellite Coverage
NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
NPOESS and GOES Benefit the Nation
Accurate forecasts are critical to the protection of life, safety, and property
NPOESS data will improve forecasts and warnings
Improved forecasts will
Weather permeates all aspects of military operations
NPOESS data will provide situational awareness
Situational Awareness is critical to
Combat Planning
Air Superiority
EDR = Environmental Data Record