NPOESS VIIRS: dramatically improved operational capability

This paper summarizes design, performance estimates and applications of the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). VIIRS is approaching Engineering Development Unit (EDU) integration and flight model assembly for delivery in late 2005 for launch on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite in 2006. Applications of VIIRS are anticipated to represent dramatic improvements over heritage capability from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Line-scanning System (OLS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). VIIRS draws heavily on the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua satellites MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS), offering similar spectroradiometry at better spatial resolution. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed VIIRS on-orbit performance simulations based on MODIS data to illustrate the dramatic improvements VIIRS will offer compared to current operational satellites for meteorology.