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In October 2011 NASA Space Agency plans to launch the NPP (NPOESS Preparatory Project) meteo satellite. This spacecraft will be a sort of bridge between the previous generation of NOAA POES series satellites (NOAA Polar Operational Environmental Satellites) and EOS (Earth Observing System, Terra and Aqua satellites) and the new generation — JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System). It is expected that images from NPP will be accessible to researchers from all over the world. Issues related to development of space systems, operating based on free broadcasting will be tackled by the participants of the 5th International Conference “Earth from Space – the Most Effective Solutions”. At the plenary session “Integration of science, business and education” on the first day of the conference - November 29 – Liam Gumley, specialist of the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will speak about features and possibilities of the NPP spacecraft.
Leading specialist of EOS program operations and future NPP satellite Liam Gumley will also tell the conference participants about possibilities of getting access to NPP satellite data.
NPP satellite intended for studying atmosphere, ocean and climatic changes, will be put into the polar orbit of 824 km in altitude. The satellite mass is 2100 kg. Payload includes:
1. VIIRS radiometer (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) has 22 spectral bands, including visible and IR bands, swath width of 3000 km and spatial resolution of 400 m in nadir to 800 m at the edges of the imaging strip,
2. 22-band Microwave Radiometer ATMS (Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder),
3. CrIS Spetrometer (Cross-track Infrared Sounder),
4. Device for ozone atmospheric distribution study OMPS (Ozone Mapper Profiler Suite),
5. Three-band radiometer CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) for measurement of reflected solar radiation, detection of clouds characteristics, etc.
Specialists note that VIIRS radiometer data will be of biggest interest for Russian users. This radiometer is supposed to improve and extend the AVHRR radiometer possibilities of NOAA series satellites and those of MODIS sensors of Terra and Aqua satellites. NPP/VIIRS data will be intended first of all, for study of clouds, aerosols, ocean color, surface temperature, albedo changes, detection and monitoring of fires.
More information about new NPP satellite will be available during the 5th International Confernece “Earth from Space…”.
Everyone interested may take part in the conference! Registration of participants is available at the conference website: http://www.conference.scanex.ru/reg/registration.php.
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