EL SEGUNDO, Calif.,
March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) delivered a second Visible
Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument to support the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Joint
Polar Satellite System mission.
The second VIIRS unit will fly aboard the JPSS-1 spacecraft,
ensuring continuity of critical weather information currently being
provided by its predecessor, the joint NOAA/NASA Suomi National
Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite launched in 2011.
Comprehensive testing at Raytheon's Space Systems facility in
El Segundo, Calif. preceded its
on-schedule delivery to Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. in
Boulder, Colo., for spacecraft
integration. Testing confirmed that the VIIRS sensor will withstand
launch conditions and operate as expected. Integration will begin
immediately to support the scheduled launch of JPSS-1 in early
2017.
VIIRS is widely known for producing unprecedented, detailed
images of Earth including NASA's 2012 Blue Marble visual image and
for breaking new ground in the observation of evolving storm
patterns at night. It also improves forecasters' ability to predict
severe weather with greater precision and is important for
forecasting in Arctic areas, which do not receive geostationary
coverage. VIIRS data is used for a wide range of applications such
as monitoring harmful algal blooms, sea surface temperature and
vegetation stress as a predictor of drought.
"VIIRS is state-of-the-art space-based environmental monitoring
technology," said Roger Cole,
Raytheon VIIRS program director. "Its design has been validated by
extensive testing. VIIRS is destined to play a pivotal
role in NOAA's evolving weather mission for years to come."
EDITOR'S NOTE: NOAA is responsible for managing and operating
the JPSS program, while NASA is responsible for developing and
building the JPSS instruments, spacecraft, launch services and
ground system.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of
$23 billion and 61,000 employees
worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in
defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a
history of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon provides
state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other
capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command,
control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber
security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is
headquartered in Waltham, Mass.
For more about Raytheon, at www.raytheon.com and follow
us on Twitter at @Raytheon.
Raytheon Company
Space and Airborne Systems
McKinney, Texas
Media Contact
John
Barksdale
+1.310.658.9547
saspr@Raytheon.com
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SOURCE Raytheon Company