NASA has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s JPSS-4 mission.
The contract awarded to SpaceX is a firm fixed price agreement valued at approximately $112.7 million.
This sum covers launch services and various mission-related costs.
After selecting Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop and deliver the US Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has now selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) JPSS-4 mission.
“NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has selected SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) to provide launch services for NOAA’s JPSS-4 mission. The spacecraft is part of the multi-satellite cooperative Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program, a partnership between NASA and NOAA. This mission is the next satellite in the program, which began with the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership,” the space agency announced in a blogpost.
Also read: NASA selects Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop Deorbit Vehicle for ISS: All details
Falcon 9 was selected by @NASA to launch @NOAA’s latest polar weather satellite! https://t.co/6OfkdWCF3z pic.twitter.com/VQzElY278X
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 22, 2024
The contract awarded to SpaceX is a firm fixed price agreement valued at approximately $112.7 million. This sum covers launch services and various mission-related costs. The JPSS-4 mission is slated for launch in 2027, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The JPSS constellation of satellites is crucial for collecting global multi-spectral radiometry and other specialized meteorologic, oceanographic, and solar-geophysical data. These data are gathered through remote sensing of land, sea, and atmospheric properties, supporting NOAA’s mission to maintain continuous observation of Earth’s environment. This continuous observation is essential for understanding and predicting environmental changes, thereby aiding in economic support and the protection of lives and property.
Also read: NASA finds pure sulfur crystals on Mars for the first time
When launched, the JPSS-4 will carry the NASA Earth Venture mission Libera. This instrument is designed to improve our understanding of Earth’s energy imbalance and the trends in our changing climate.
The launch services for JPSS-4 are managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the JPSS Flight Projects Office, which oversees the acquisition of the JPSS series instruments and spacecraft. A collaborative NOAA and NASA team manages the JPSS Program.
Follow Us
Ayushi Jain
Tech news writer by day, BGMI player by night. Combining my passion for tech and gaming to bring you the latest in both worlds. View Full Profile
