Digital rendering of JPSS 1. Photo: NOAA/Ball Aerospace

[Via Satellite 03-25-2015] Orbital ATK received a contract valued at up to $470 million to build the Joint Polar Satellite Systems 2 (JPSS 2) weather satellite, with options for two more spacecraft. The JPSS 2 contract, worth $253 million, is a firm order, while the JPSS 3 and 4, valued at $217 million, will be built based on a later decision from NASA.

Orbital ATK will manufacture the spacecraft on the LEOStar 3 medium-class low-altitude-orbit platform. Other NASA spacecraft, such as the Landsat 8 and ICESat 2 Earth science satellites are based on the same satellite bus. The company has built a total of 12 spacecraft on the LEOStar 3 bus to date.

JPSS 2 is scheduled for delivery in 2020. The next two, if exercised, are planned for 2024 and 2028 respectively. JPSS satellites have a design life of seven years and are part of NASA’s partnership with NOAA for space-based weather observations.