EO·Atlas
Suomi NPP
Compiled from public sources on 2026-06-11. Not independently verified by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) is a U.S. NOAA/NASA bridge mission between the legacy POES system and the Joint Polar Satellite System. Launched 28 October 2011 on a Ball Aerospace BCP-2000 bus, it flies a 833.7 km sun-synchronous orbit. Carries five instruments: ATMS, VIIRS, CrIS, OMPS, and CERES. Original design life was 5 years; satellite continues to operate in 2026 in extended mission. CrIS MWIR bands failed July 2021.
Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) is a U.S. NOAA and NASA bridge mission that provided continuity between the legacy POES (Polar Operational Environmental Satellites) system and the Joint Polar Satellite System. The spacecraft was built on a Ball Aerospace BCP-2000 bus and launched 28 October 2011. It operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 833.7 km altitude with an inclination of 98.79 degrees and an orbital period of approximately 101.44 minutes.[1][2]
Suomi NPP carries five instruments: ATMS (Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder), VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder), OMPS (Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite), and CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System). The CrIS medium-wave infrared (MWIR) spectral bands failed in July 2021; ATMS and the other instruments continue operating.[1][2]
The satellite's original design life was five years. As of 2026 it remains in extended mission, providing supplementary NWP data alongside NOAA-20 and NOAA-21 within the JPSS constellation.[3]
Compositional position
- [1]Suomi NPP, Wikipediacommunity2026-06-11
- [2]Suomi NPP mission overview, eoPortalcommunity2026-06-11
- [3]JPSS Programme Office, NESDISagency doc2026-06-11