Transitioning NOAA-21 to Operations and Exploitation of the JPSS Constellation for Critical Environmental Applications

After successful post launch checkout, the latest Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) satellite NOAA21 became operational on April 3, 2023. Following a successful Post-Launch Assessment Review (PLAR) and Handover Readiness Review (HRR), OSPO has assumed responsibility for NOAA-21 mission operations in the 1325 Local Time of Ascending Node (LTAN) (PM) ascending orbit. The calibration and validation (cal/val) activities for NOAA-21 have demonstrated that the key performance parameters and sensor data records have reached maturity levels meeting the performance standards ready for the data to be used operationally. When NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) confirms that it is ready to assimilate the NOAA-21 sounder data (ATMS and CrIS) in its modeling system, then NOAA-21 will be declared as the secondary, and the JPSS satellites assignments will be as follow: NOAA-20 (Primary), NOAA-21 (Secondary), S-NPP (Tertiary). With three satellites, the JPSS constellation remains robust and resilient, and continues to provide data and services that are critical to NOAA’s missions to provide daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, climate monitoring, fisheries management, coastal restoration, and supporting marine commerce. In addition to the JPSS mission, the office of Low Earth Observations (LEO) has started to formulate the development of future LEO sensors under the Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) Program. This presentation will highlight the status of NOAA21 product validation activities, data exploitation from the JPSS mission, user engagement and plans for the NEON program.