Aug 31, 2011

Steve Cole Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918 stephen e cole@nasa gov

Cynthia M O'Carroll Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md 240-684-0821 cynthia m ocarroll@nasa gov
RELEASE: 11-282

NASA EARTH-OBSERVING SATELLITE ARRIVES IN CALIFORNIA FOR LAUNCH

WASHINGTON -- On Tuesday, Aug 30, NASA's next Earth-observing research satellite arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to begin preparations for an October launch

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) is the first of a new generation of satellites that will observe many facets of our changing Earth

The satellite will collect critical data to improve our understanding of long-term climate change and short-term weather conditions With NPP, NASA continues many key data records initiated by the agency's Earth Observing System satellites by monitoring changes occurring in the atmosphere, oceans, vegetation, ice and solid Earth

On Aug 28, NPP was placed in a shipping container and loaded on a transport truck at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp in Boulder, Colo After Tuesday's arrival, the satellite was unloaded and moved into the clean room at the AstroTech facility for launch preparation

"The NPP team has produced an outstanding satellite and kept to schedule during the past year and a half," said Ken Schwer, NPP project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md "The world is looking forward to NPP's scientific measurements "

The NPP spacecraft will undergo prelaunch processing at Vandenberg, including a solar array functional test; a spacecraft limited performance test; and testing of the science instruments Following these tests and a spacecraft launch simulation, the satellite will be fueled with its attitude control propellant

NPP will be launched on a United Launch Alliance Delta II 7920 expendable launch vehicle The Delta II first stage was hoisted into position on the pad at NASA's Space Launch Complex 2 on July 20 By Aug 2, the nine solid rocket boosters were attached, and the second stage was hoisted atop the first stage Launch vehicle testing is under way

The NPP spacecraft is scheduled to move to the pad and be mated with the rocket on Oct 7 Launch is scheduled for Oct 25 during a 9-minute and 10-second launch window from 5:48:01 to 5:57:11 a m EDT The Delta II will place the satellite into a 512-mile high circular polar orbit

NPP is the first satellite mission to address the challenge of acquiring a wide range of land, ocean, and atmospheric measurements for Earth system science while simultaneously preparing to address operational requirements for weather forecasting

NPP serves as a bridge between NASA's Earth Observing System of satellites and the forthcoming Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Previously called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, JPSS satellites will be developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NPP will carry five science instruments and test key technologies for the JPSS missions Data from NPP will help scientists ensure a continuous record of environmental satellite data and also contribute to weather forecasting efforts NOAA meteorologists will incorporate NPP data into their weather prediction models to produce accurate forecasts and warnings that will help emergency responders monitor and react to natural disasters

Goddard manages the NPP mission on behalf of the Earth Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington The JPSS program is providing the ground system for NPP NOAA will provide operational support for the mission Launch management is the responsibility of the NASA Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida

For more information about NPP, visit:

http://www nasa gov/npp

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www nasa gov

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