Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). Photo: Raytheon

[Via Satellite 01-29-2016] NASA has awarded Raytheon a $564 million contract modification for two satellite sensors as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Polar Follow-On missions. The company is supplying Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensors for two satellites in the series: Polar Follow-On /JPSS 3 and JPSS 4.

VIIRS collects imagery in 22 bands of light, ranging from visible to infrared, to measure emerging weather and climate patterns. The data is also used for planning military operations.

JPSS is a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA, where NOAA is responsible for managing and operating the JPSS satellites, and NASA receives funding from the agency to provide JPSS instruments, spacecraft, launch services and major components of the ground segment.

The first Raytheon-built VIIRS instrument is currently flying on the NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite launched in 2011. The company has delivered a second VIIRS sensor for JPSS 1, scheduled for launch in 2017, and is currently building a third VIIRS unit for JPSS 2, planned for launch in 2021.