The Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy Systems (CERES) instrument. Photo: Ball Aerospace

[Via Satellite 07-10-2014] Ball Aerospace confirmed it received the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy Systems (CERES) instrument built by Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Division on June 17. CERES will be integrated into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System 1 satellite later this year.

Over the next 10 months, Ball Aerospace expects three more instruments to arrive for the JPSS 1 satellite: the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) and the Visible/Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The Ball Aerospace-built Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite-Nadir (OMPS-N) instrument passed its pre-ship review and will be “shipped in place” to the JPSS program.

CERES plays a critical role in maintaining the weather and climate measurements provided by the 2011 Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership mission. The instrument will measure sunlight reflected from Earth as well as thermal radiation emitted by the planet. These readings are expected to bring greater understanding of the role clouds play in Earth’s climate. Data from CERES is also expected to help understand large-scale atmospheric events and contribute to seasonal climate forecasts.