EO·Atlas
NOAA-21
Compiled from public sources on 2026-06-11. Not independently verified by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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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