The National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) is the civilian center for the processing and distribution of environmental data and products from NOAA's polar orbiting satellites. Current exploitation of polar satellite data is described, and heritage or relationship to new NPOESS products is discussed.

For the NPOESS era, as the civilian data processing “Central”, NOAA/NESDIS is preparing to utilize the Level 1 and Level 2 geophysical products to be delivered from the IDPS. NOAA has mapped current user requirements and products to the new suite of various data products (referred to as xDRs) available from NPOESS. Plans for user-specific “tuning” of the Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS) supplied products have been developed. NOAA-unique modifications are also under development, in partnership with NOAA's user community, to satisfy present and anticipated requirements for products, delivery mechanisms, quality, and timeliness. A brief overview of NOAA's NDE (NPOESS Data Exploitation) Project is presented.

In addition to the discussion of NPOESS Data Exploitation, this presentation will also include NESDIS plans for the exploitation of future METOP environmental data.