NPOESS Preparatory Project Validation Program for the Ocean Data Products from the Visibile Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)

The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Program will launch the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP), a risk reduction and data continuity mission, prior to the first operational JPSS launch. The NOAA/NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) will execute the NPP Validation program in collaboration with subject matter experts from the user communities to ensure the data products comply with the requirements of the sponsoring agencies. Data from the NPP Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) will be used to produce Environmental Data Records (EDR's) of Ocean Color/Chlorophyll and Sea Surface Temperature. The ocean validation program is designed to address an “end to end” capability from sensor to end product and is developed based on existing ongoing government satellite ocean remote sensing capabilities that are currently in use with NASA research and Navy and NOAA operational products. Therefore, the plan focuses on the extension of known reliable methods and capabilities currently used with the heritage sensors that will be extended to the NPP and NPOESS ocean product Cal/Val effort. This is not a fully “new” approach but it is designed to be the most reliable and cost effective approach to developing an automated Cal/Val system for VIIRS while retaining highly accurate procedures and protocols. This presentation will highlight pre-launch activities and provide an overview of the approaches, data and schedule for the validation of the NPP VIIRS Ocean environmental data products.