Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) is a satellite operated by the United States Geological Survey and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NPP satellite was launched on October 28, 2011, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The NPP satellite is part of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), which is a partnership between NOAA and NASA.
The purpose of the Suomi NPP satellite is to collect Earth observation data that will be used for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and other environmental applications. The Suomi NPP satellite carries five different instruments: the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite (OMPS), and the Cross Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS).
ATMS is a microwave radiometer that measures atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles. CERES is a broadband radiometer that measures outgoing longwave radiation from Earth’s atmosphere. VIIRS is a visible/near-infrared imaging radiometer that provides high-resolution imagery of Earth’s surface. OMPS is an ultraviolet spectrometer that maps ozone concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere. CrIS is an infrared sounder that retrieves atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles.
Data from these instruments will be used to improve numerical weather prediction models and help assess global climate change. The data will also be used to monitor various environmental parameters such as air quality, vegetation health, ocean color, sea ice cover, etc.