Ball Aerospace-built satellite being used by NOAA, NASA

BOULDER — Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has completed the hand-over of NOAA’s advanced polar-orbiting weather satellite, the Joint Polar Satellite System, or JPSS, to NASA following a successful satellite review.

The satellite, also known as NOAA-20, was launched in November as the most-advanced operational environmental system developed by the industry or the government. It was designed to increase the timeliness and accuracy of forecasts three to seven days in advance of severe weather.

The review confirmed that the satellite met on-orbit requirements and the instruments performed as expected. Operations is being handed over from NOAA to NASA and NOAA will use the satellite data in its products and services. The satellite crosses the equator about 14 times daily, providing full global coverage twice per day and making precise measurements of the atmosphere, ocean and land surface.

The satellite was built by Boulder-based Ball Aerospace. The missions are funded by NOAA. NASA is the acquisitions agent for the flight systems, launch services and components of the ground segment of the satellite. Ball is under contract to build equipment for follow-up missions from NOAA.

“Everyone on our planet is affected by weather — especially adverse weather —  in some way, and relies on systems like JPSS that are part of our nation’s critical infrastructure, just like roads and bridges,” Rob Strain, president of Ball Aerospace, said in a prepared statement. “The NOAA-20 satellite, with its sophisticated instruments, is ready to deliver better, more accurate data for operational weather forecasting, which will help save lives and resources, protect property and support our economy, now and well into the future.”

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