The Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) is a partnership between the United States and Finland for a new generation of Earth Observation satellites. The goal of the partnership is to provide continuous high-quality observations of the Earth’s land, oceans, and atmosphere for weather, climate, and other global environmental studies.
The Suomi NPP satellite was launched on October 28, 2011 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The satellite is in a polar orbit at an altitude of 824 kilometers (512 miles), with a period of 98 minutes. This orbit allows the satellite to observe the entire Earth every day, providing near-global coverage every 16 days.
TheSuomi NPP satellite carries five instruments:
* The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), which observes visible and infrared light to study atmospheric aerosols such as smoke and dust particles, clouds, snow cover; ocean color; vegetation health; fires; and night lights
* The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), which profiles temperature and humidity in the atmosphere to aid weather forecasting
* The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), which also profiles temperature and humidity in the atmosphere to aid weather forecasting
* The Ozone Mapper Profiler Suite (OMPS), which monitors ozone levels in the stratosphere
* The Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES), which measures radiation emitted from Earth’s surface and atmosphere to better understand how our planet exchanges energy with space.