NPOESS data exploitation (NDE) project

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) provides a new generation of remote sensing and satellite technology. NPOESS data volumes will peak at about 8 terabytes per day with the 3-satellite constellation. This will require more than a 100-fold increase in NOAA data management capacity. The data will be delivered much more quickly than current satellite observations, arriving within 30 minutes of observation. Both the volume expansion and the improved timeliness require major upgrades to the NOAA satellite product generation and distribution infrastructure. The NDE Project will link the civilian environmental satellite information users to NPOESS data. NPOESS products will replace the data from existing Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) systems in the next decade and will continue providing vital satellite observations to NOAA during its 10-year operational life. To reduce the risks associated with the introduction of NPOESS innovative technologies, the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite will supply prototypical NPOESS products. NDE enables essential system upgrades to prepare NESDIS for NPP and provide a continuing capability throughout the NPOESS life cycle. NDE will be conducted as a NESDIS demonstration project in which the procedures it establishes will be evaluated as candidates for wider adoption as best practices. NDE will employ an enterprise project approach, developing functionality to be shared across NOAA systems to reduce costs, risks, and to minimize redundancy. NDE will use the latest proven methods, tools and techniques to establish key elements of NOAA's 21st Century satellite data management capability.