NOAA issued two Broad Agency Announcements, or BAAs, seeking fresh ideas for new instrument technologies and concepts for future use on its advanced geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites.
These BAAs follow the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture (NSOSA) study completed last year, and are the next step toward developing NOAA's next-generation architecture. The optimal constellations drawn from the NSOSA study incorporate both the augmentation and new business models we seek in LEO, and the new concepts we seek in GEO, as part of enhancing our capabilities.
For the polar satellites, NOAA is looking for new ways to supplement observations for its Joint Polar Satellite System, JPSS. NOAA's previous generation of polar satellites and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program still provide useful data, but are approaching the end of their operational service.
The polar BAA is focused on soundings in Low Earth Orbit but this is just one step in a broader effort by NOAA to develop a comprehensive LEO architecture. Consistent with the availability of funds, NOAA will release additional requests for methods and concepts in the near future.
As it relates to the advanced GOES-R Program satellites, NOAA will need new technologies by 2030 to continue monitoring both environmental and space weather.
Based on feedback to the BAAs, NOAA could have a range of new, less costly options to pursue, including placing instruments on small satellites, or launching them as hosted payloads.
Following the release of the BAAs and two industry days (Oct. 17–18), NOAA will choose the best proposals to pursue.
Members of the news media may contact NESDIS by reaching out to Public Affairs Officer, John Leslie, at:
Email: nesdis.pa@noaa.gov
Phone: 301-713-0214
Twitter: twitter.com/@NOAASatellitePA