Recent Progress and the Status of NOAA’s Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) Environmental Programs

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are pivotal in providing advanced global Earth observations essential for numerical weather prediction, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and maintaining the continuity of the climate data record. Since 2011, the NOAA/NASA Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), a series of five multi-mission polar-orbiting LEO environmental satellites, has been a key source of state-of-the-art observations of the Earth’s land, oceans, cryosphere, and atmosphere. These observations play a vital role in protecting lives, property, and supporting the U.S. economy. Currently, three JPSS satellites—Suomi-NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21—are operational, each providing full global coverage twice daily and flying 50 minutes apart in the afternoon orbit, presenting a unique opportunity for data and product users to effectively respond to a changing environment.

The JPSS baseline includes four instruments: a hyperspectral infrared sounder (CrIS) and advanced microwave sounder (ATMS) for weather forecasting; a highly sensitive visible and infrared imager (VIIRS) for low-light and data-sparse regions, crucial for assessing environmental conditions like snow/ice cover, volcanic ash, forest fires, drought, surface temperature, and air quality; and an ozone sensor (OMPS) used for global monitoring of ozone and as an input to weather and climate models. The upcoming JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 satellites will ensure the continuity of data from these instruments into the 2030s. The JPSS-3 satellite has all instruments integrated, and is currently undergoing observatory-level thermal vacuum testing. It is scheduled to be put into storage in fall 2024, with launch planned for September 2032. The JPSS-4 satellite has completed spacecraft-level integration and testing, with instrument integration targeted for completion by December 2024. A new NASA-designed instrument, Libera, which measures solar radiation, will be integrated into JPSS-4 in late 2025. JPSS-4 is scheduled for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in September 2027, with JPSS-3 planned to launch in 2032.

NOAA recently established the Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program, a next-generation initiative for managing future polar-orbiting and other LEO observation systems as loosely associated projects. This program is designed to complement the current ongoing programs of record, facilitate gap mitigation and risk reduction activities, and support the continuity of JPSS and non-JPSS LEO observations. NEON will allow NOAA to maintain vital relationships with national and international partners, such as NASA, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and will enable other international, commercial, and domestic partnerships, providing greater reach and increased delivery of capabilities to stakeholders. The NEON program recently completed the system definition review and phase A formulation studies for a next-generation microwave sounder, marking a significant milestone in development.

The QuickSounder mission, slated for launch in early 2026, will be the first NEON mission and a prototype for the “New Space” paradigm that benefits from commercial aerospace innovations. QuickSounder, a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA, will feature a refurbished ATMS instrument, similar to those on JPSS satellites. This pathfinder mission aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using a small, commercial off-the-shelf satellite bus on a compressed schedule, paving the way for more frequent and rapid satellite launches that will enhance weather forecasting capabilities through quicker integration of current technology. Lessons learned from QuickSounder are informing the mission concepts for the first operational NEON project known as Series-1, which will produce a block of small satellites providing backbone microwave sounding observations essential to the performance of the numerical weather prediction models and other applications. Series-1 will fly the mission’s first new instrument, the Sounder for Microwave-Based Applications (SMBA).

The NEON program highlights NOAA’s commitment to advancing environmental monitoring and ensuring the continuity of critical Earth observations. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and fostering international collaboration, NOAA is poised to enhance its capabilities and better respond to a rapidly changing global environment.