Suomi NPP is currently in its initial checkout phase before starting regular observations with all of its five instruments. Onboard the S-NPP satellite, there are five state-of-the-art instruments/sensors. Team Lead: Changyong Cao, Slawomir Blonski VIIRS ICVS; Description: The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) has multi-band imaging capabilities to support the acquisition of high-resolution atmospheric imagery and generation of a variety of applied products including visible and infrared imaging of hurricanes and detection of fires, smoke, and atmospheric aerosols. The commissioning activities are expected to be completed by March 2012. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite observed a huge Saharan dust plume streaming over the North Atlantic Ocean, beginning on June 13. Suomi NPP is the first satellite mission to address the challenge of acquiring a wide range of land, ocean, and atmospheric measurements for Earth system science On May 20, 2020, the VIIRS instrument, aboard both the Suomi-NPP (S-NPP) and NOAA-20 satellites, showed record flooding of the Tittabawassee River in the town of Midland, Michigan, due to the Edenville Dam failure the day before.Ten thousand residents of Edenville and Sanford counties were ordered to evacuate the area. NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured this image of the Bighorn Fire on June 22, 2020, showing clouds of smoke pouring off this fire that is plaguing Arizona. VIIRS, a scanning radiometer, collects visible and infrared imagery and radiometric measurements of the land, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument collects visible and infrared imagery and global observations of land, atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans. Capitalizing on the success of Suomi NPP, NOAA-20 features five similar instruments: (1) VIIRS, (2) CrIS, (3) ATMS, (4) OMPS-N, and (5) CERES-FM6.

When coupled with infrared imaging data, ocean-color imaging can help alert naval units when there’s a storm developing or moving into the path of a fleet.

Figure 21 : High-definition image of Earth observed on January 4, 2012 by the VIIRS instrument of Suomi NPP (image credit:NASA) 51) 52)

Climatologists use VIIRS data to improve our understanding of global Spacecraft & instrument provider, integration & test lead. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a sensor designed and … ATMS currently flies on the Suomi NPP satellite mission and will fly on the JPSS-1 and JPSS-2 satellite missions.

On the tactical-safety side of the coin, Suomi NPP instruments also provide ocean-color capability. Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) has multi-band imaging capabilities to support the acquisition of high-resolution atmospheric imagery and generation of a variety of applied products including visible and infrared imaging of hurricanes and detection of fires, smoke, and atmospheric aerosols. NOAA-20 has a design life of seven years and it will circle the Earth in the same orbit as Suomi NPP, although the two satellites will be separated in time and space by 50 minutes.