NASA Taps Norway for JPSS Data Support Services
By Jeffrey Hill | August 16, 2012
[Satellite TODAY 08-16-12] NASA has selected the Norwegian Space Center (NSC) to provide combined data support services for NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program, the agency confirmed Aug. 15.
The firm-fixed price contract comes with a value of about $22 million and includes one base year and four one-year options to extend performance. The contract also includes satellite data acquisition and distribution services for NASA’s current polar orbiting satellites, as well as mission planning and related support activities.
The contract permits usage of NSC’s Svalbard satellite ground station and other NSC data services resources to support the JPSS Program requirements on three missions: Global Change Observation — Water 1; the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership; and JPSS-1.
JPSS aims to allow NOAA to forecast weather and track global climate change from space. NOAA is responsible for the JPSS program, including funding the advanced instruments, sensors and the two planned spacecraft and launch vehicles, as part of its collaboration with NASA.