NPOESS

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, or NPOESS, was a joint program between the United States Air Force, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop and operate a new generation of polar-orbiting environmental satellites. The primary goal of NPOESS was to provide crucial data for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and other environmental applications.

NPOESS was designed to consolidate the capabilities of existing weather satellite systems, such as the NOAA Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) and the Department of Defense's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). This consolidation aimed to reduce costs and improve efficiency by utilizing a common set of sensors and ground systems. The program intended to launch a constellation of three satellites to ensure continuous data coverage.

Development of NPOESS began in the late 1990s, but the program faced significant technical challenges and cost overruns. These issues led to delays in the launch schedule and eventually a restructuring of the program. In 2010, the NPOESS program was officially terminated. Its mission and many of its intended capabilities were subsequently incorporated into a new program called the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). JPSS continues the legacy of NPOESS by providing critical environmental data from polar-orbiting satellites.