When NASA launched the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project, or NPP, in October, it ushered in a new generation of climate and weather satellites. The school bus size spacecraft is now securely in polar orbit making 14 passes over the Earth each day.
The five main instruments are critical to enhancing not only short term weather forecasting but also in aiding long term climate modeling. NASA has performing an initial checkout of the craft and its instruments, a process which will take several more weeks before it begins its regular science mission.
This week NASA released an astounding ‘blue marble’ image captured by its Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The image is a composite from multiple orbits of the spacecraft on January 4, 2012 showing much of North and Central America.
