International Polar Orbiter Processing Package (IPOPP)

In 1994, the United States merged its two polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite programs operated by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Defense, respectively, into a single system which is called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). NPOESS is a tri-agency program comprised of the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NPOESS is managed by the Integrated Program Office (IPO) that is staffed by personnel from the three sponsoring agencies. The IPO is working with prime contractor Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (NGAS) and its subcontractors to develop, launch, and operate NPOESS. The first NPOESS satellite which is planned for launch in 2014 will be preceded by a risk reduction mission named the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) that is planned for launch in 2011.

The International Polar Orbiter Processing Package (IPOPP) is a software package that will enable the Direct Readout user community to smoothly transition from NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) missions to the NPOESS. IPOPP will host U.S. Government sanctioned algorithms that will enable the Direct Broadcast (DB) community to process, visualize, and evaluate Polar Orbiter Sensor and Environmental Data Records (starting with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's EOS spacecraft and the NPP missions). The IPOPP development approach is to start with a framework that uses a Science Processing Algorithm (SPA) wrapping technique that allows a modular implementation to envelop sensor unique algorithms, thus making IPOPP a multi-mission processing package. As a multi-platform processing package, IPOPP will meet the high expectations of the Direct Broadcast community for mission continuity from EOS to NPOESS, enable a global feedback loop for NPP Cal/Val campaigns, and initiate the role of the research to operations provider for the Direct Readout Mission.