EO·Atlas
NOAA-21
Compiled from public sources on 2026-06-11. Not independently verified by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Work at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)? This page is unclaimed. Claim it free to keep it accurate and add your links. What operators can do →
NOAA-21 (formerly JPSS-2) is the second operational satellite of the Joint Polar Satellite System. Launched 10 November 2022 on a Northrop Grumman LEOStar-3 bus, it flies a 833 km sun-synchronous orbit and carries four instruments: ATMS, CrIS, VIIRS, and OMPS. Declared fully operational 8 November 2023; became primary afternoon PM satellite 20 March 2024. Design life to December 2030.
NOAA-21, formerly designated JPSS-2 (Joint Polar Satellite System-2), is the second operational satellite of the JPSS programme, a U.S. NOAA and NASA polar-orbiting meteorological constellation. The spacecraft is built on a Northrop Grumman LEOStar-3 bus and was launched 10 November 2022. It operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at 833 km altitude with an inclination of 98.8 degrees.[1]
NOAA-21 carries four instruments: ATMS (Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder), CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder), VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), and OMPS (Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite). Unlike NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP, NOAA-21 does not carry CERES; the CERES instrument was not confirmed on JPSS-2 in publicly available documentation at time of research.[1][2]
NOAA-21 was declared fully operational on 8 November 2023 and became the primary PM (afternoon-orbit) satellite on 20 March 2024.[2] Design life extends to December 2030.[1]
Compositional position
- [1]WMO OSCAR satellite view: NOAA-21agency doc2026-06-11
- [2]NOAA-21, Wikipediacommunity2026-06-11
- [3]NOAA-21 is Operational, NESDISagency doc2026-06-11