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NPOESS Preparatory Project

Project Description

The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) is a joint NASA/IPO instrument risk reduction project. It is designed to function as a bridge between the NASA EOS program and NPOESS for the development of the following sensors:
Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Cloud and Earth Radiant Energy System (CERES)

Its mission is to demonstrate advanced technology for atmospheric sounding, providing continuity of weather and climate observations following EOS-PM (Terra) and EOS-AM (Aqua). It supplies data on atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity soundings, land and ocean biological productivity, and cloud and aerosol properties.

Project Contributions

• instrument risk reduction, offering early instrument and system level testing
• lessons learned for design modifications in time to ensure NPOESS launch readiness
• ground system risk reduction
• early user evaluation of NPOESS data products, algorithms and instrument performance

Additional information about the NPOESS Preparatory Project is available on NASA's NPP website.