JPSS Aviation Initiative

The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Proving Ground and Risk Reduction (PGRR) program facilitates initiatives to increase or improve the use and value of JPSS data products in user products, services, and application or service areas. Building on the success of the Fire and Smoke, River Ice and Flooding, Hydrology, Sounding, and Arctic Initiative, the JPSS Aviation Initiative is the latest endeavor of the JPSS PGRR program. The aviation initiative was created in 2017 as a solution to the need of satellite products in the aviation community. It is establishing and building relationships with pilots and forecasters in the Alaska region and connect JPSS capabilities with the user needs. The initiative demonstrates JPSS/VIIRS cloud products to the pilots and forecasters in AK based on user interest and current season. It is also investigating the value of quantitative products to the pilots and forecasters. the initiative is determining how polar satellite data improves diagnosis and forecast of aviation hazards.

The major participants in the Aviation Initiative to date are the JPSS program office, Alaska Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Alaska Flight Service Stations, the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR), National Weather Service (NWS) Center Weather Service Units (CWSUs), NWS Arctic Test Bed, and The Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA). Another goal is to highlight experimental products for future applications. The next step is to Expand utility in the Continental United States and internationally and to collaborate with other satellite programs.