The Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1), the first in a new series of four highly advanced National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites, which will help increase weather forecast accuracy from three to seven days out, is scheduled to launch on Friday, Nov. 10 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex 2W is targeted for 1:47 a.m. PST (4:47 a.m. EST) at the opening of a 65-second launch window. JPSS, a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA, represents significant technological and scientific advancements in observations used for severe weather prediction and environmental monitoring.
Media accreditation for U.S. citizens or permanent resident card holders is open through noon Wednesday, Nov. 1. Please provide full name, date of birth, and driver’s license or identification card number and state from which it was issued. The deadline for accreditation of international news media is at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11. Please provide full name, date of birth, and passport number and country from which it was issued.
Media interested in attending launch need to register by emailing Michael Stonecypher, 30th Space Wing Public Affairs Officer, at michael.stonecypher@us.af.mil.
JPSS satellites circle Earth from pole-to-pole and cross the equator 14 times daily providing full global coverage twice a day. Polar satellites are considered the backbone of the global observing system.
NOAA’s National Weather Service uses JPSS data as critical input for numerical forecast models, providing the basis for mid-range forecasts. These forecasts enable emergency managers to make timely decisions to protect American lives and property, including early warnings and evacuations.
For more information about JPSS-1, visit:
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Steve Cole
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918
stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov
Tori McLendon
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
tori.n.mclendon@nasa.gov