NOAA kicks off NEON weather satellite program

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s new weather satellite campaign begins with a free-flying sounder and continues over decades with launches of small to medium-sized satellites.

“It’s not going to be, if things work out the way we expect, large satellites but multiple small satellites,” said

Debra Werner

Steve Volz, NOAA assistant administrator for satellite and information services.

NOAA is drafting plans for the successor to the Joint Polar Satellite System, the latest generation of polar-orbiting weather satellites. The new program, called Near Earth Orbit Network or NEON, will overlap with JPSS.

When JPSS ends around 2038, NEON will continue as one of NOAA’s primary initiatives for gathering data for weather forecasting, environmental observation, climate monitoring and public safety.

Above: Ball Aerospace is designing, building and integrating the small satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Follow-On mission.

NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service is adopting a portfolio approach to data gathering. Groups within NESDIS will focus on observational areas: lowEarth orbit, geostationary orbit and space weather.

Quicksounder

The low-Earth orbit program kicks off with QuickSounder.