Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)

JPSS Provides Sophisticated Meteorological Data

JPSS is the nation’s advanced series of polar-orbiting environmental satellites. JPSS includes five polar-orbiting satellites with four or more instruments and a versatile ground system. The satellites currently in orbit are Suomi-NPP, NOAA-20 (JPSS-1), and NOAA-21 (JPSS-2). JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 are currently in development for launch readiness dates in 2027 and 2032.

The restructured Joint Polar Satellite System (formerly — National Polar-orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), will address NOAA’s requirements to provide global environmental data necessary for NOAA’s missions to monitor the earth, manage resources, support the Nation’s economy, and protect lives and property. source: NOAA

The instruments aboard NOAA’s Suomi NPP bridge some of the observational capabilities from NASA Aura, launched in 2004, to the other satellite instruments in NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), which includes JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 satellites yet to be launched.

Joint Polar Satellite System NOAA Website