Raytheon Co. completed three testing milestones on an advanced sensor engineering development unit for the U.S. government’s National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), Raytheon announced.

Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems is under contract to design and develop the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite test unit and seven flight units for NPOESS prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corp.

The sensor, scheduled for delivery before the end of 2006, is designed to collect visible and infrared imagery and radiometric data on the atmosphere, clouds, earth radiation budget, clear-air land/water surfaces, sea surface temperature, ocean color, and low-light visible imagery. Delivery of the first flight unit is scheduled for 2008.

The first satellite in the NPOESS program, which combines weather satellite programs operated by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Defense, is schedule to be launched in 2012.