Photos: NASA's Novel NPP Weather & Climate Satellite

Page 1 of 4:

Page 1

NPP After Sensor Integration

A view of NPP after Ball Aerospace completed integration and performance testing of the satellite's Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) instrument.

Blue Marble Earth: Eastern Hemisphere

This photo from NASA's Suomi NPP satellite shows the Eastern Hemisphere of Earth in "Blue Marble" view. The photo, released Feb. 2, 2012, is a companion to a NASA image showing the Western Hemisphere in the same stunning detail. This photo was taken on Jan. 23.

Suomi NPP Satellite Photos Explained

NASA scientists created the two new 'Blue Marble' images from data acquired by a new instrument that's aboard the Earth-observing satellite Suomi NPP, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).

NPP First Light

Eleven days after its launch into Earth orbit, the new satellite known as NPP sent back its first science data on November 8, 2011. This image from the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) depicts the location and abundance of water vapor in the lower atmosphere.

NPP Global image

NASA's NPP Launch from Afar

NPP Satellite Launch — NASA/Bill Ingalls

NASA's NPP climate and weather satellite roars into space on Oct. 28, 2011.

Artist's Depiction of NPP in Orbit

NASA's NPP satellite — short for National polar-orbiting operational environmental satellite system Preparatory Project — is slated to blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Oct. 28, 2011.

Launch of NASA's NPP Satellite

NASA's NPP climate and weather satellite launches atop a Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in the predawn hours of Oct. 28, 2011.

NPP Booster Separation

As NASA's NPP climate and weather satellite streaks into space on Oct. 28, 2011, two solid rocket boosters fall away from its Delta 2 rocket.

NPP Satellite in Electro Magnetic Interference Chamber

NASA's NPP climate and weather satellite undergoes electro magnetic interference testing at a Ball Aerospace facility.

NPP After EMI Testing

The NPP satellite sits in a cleanroom after electro magnetic interference testing.

Current page: Page 1

Next Page Page 2

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.