JPSS Concept of Operations: Constellation Management

  • Released Wednesday, January 31st, 2018
  • Updated Friday, August 25th, 2023 at 12:09AM
  • ID: 4613

This visualization illustrates how JPSS-1 (now NOAA-20) orbit phasing and raising works relative to SNPP, the notional way SNPP can be maneuvered a quarter-orbit along-track separation from JPSS-1 prior to launch of JPSS-2, and how a three-satellite constellation operates on a sun-synchronous orbit node-crossing including sensor-swath footprints as the world turns below.
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NOAA and NASA partnered to implement the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). The JPSS Program constitutes the next series of U.S. civilian polar orbiting environmental remote sensing satellites and sensors that have been flown historically on polar satellites. These satellites will implement NOAA’s requirements for collection of global multi-spectral radiometry and other specialized meteorological and oceanographic data, via remote sensing of land, sea, and the atmosphere. These data will support NOAA’s mission for continuous observations of the Earth’s environment necessary to understand and predict changes in weather, climate, oceans and coasts, which support the Nation’s economy, and protect lives and property.

The JPSS constellation of satellites starts with JPSS-1 (now designated NOAA-20) sharing the polar orbit occupied by the currently primary operating Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite. JPSS constellation management consists of planning each mission such that a newly launched satellite (i.e. NOAA-20) is phased to reach an initial parking orbit for raising to its required operational orbit altitude in a half-orbit position relative to the existing (i.e. S-NPP) satellite. A planned sequence of orbit-raising maneuvers are executed to achieve this constellation configuration. When the satellite orbit raising and commissioning nominally completes the new satellite assumes a primary designation and S-NPP, in this case, assumes a secondary satellite designation. When the next JPSS satellite is to be launched (i.e. JPPS-2 ~2021) plans are to maneuver the secondary satellite beforehand to a different position so the next satellite can be phased and raised into a half-orbit separation from the current primary satellite. The resulting three-satellite constellation maintains primary and secondary operating satellites ~ 50 minutes apart and the now tertiary satellite approximately a quarter-orbit separation between the other two – all generating remote sensing data of the earth.

To learn more about JPSS, visit http://www.jpss.noaa.gov/

This is part 1 (of 3) of the full JPSS Constellation Management visualization. The sequence introduces the SNPP orbit and describes how JPSS-1 orbit phasing and raising works relative to SNPP.

This is part 2 (of 3) of the full JPSS Constellation Management visualization. This sequence describes how SNPP maneuvers to a quarter orbit separation from JPSS-1 in order to prepare for the launch of JPSS-2.

This is part 3 (of 3) of the full JPSS Constellation Management visualization. This sequence shows SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2 in their final configuration. The visualization concludes with a view comparing the node crossings and sensor swaths of each spacecraft.

This is a subset of part1, focusing on the JPSS-1 orbit raising and phasing sequence

Still image comparing SNPP's operational orbit to the lower parking/transfer orbit

Still image comparing SNPP's operational orbit to the lower parking/transfer orbit

Still image of SNPP in it's polar orbit

Still image of SNPP in it's polar orbit

Still image showing JPSS-1's target location relative to SNPP

Still image showing JPSS-1's target location relative to SNPP

Still image showing configuration shortly after JPSS-1 launch, before orbit raising maneuvers begin

Still image showing configuration shortly after JPSS-1 launch, before orbit raising maneuvers begin

Still image showing JPSS-1 orbit raising maneuvers

Still image showing JPSS-1 orbit raising maneuvers

Still image of JPSS-1 as orbit raising maneuvers and phasing complete

Still image of JPSS-1 as orbit raising maneuvers and phasing complete

Still image describing the target location for SNPP to make room for JPSS-2

Still image describing the target location for SNPP to make room for JPSS-2

Still image of SNPP maneuvering to a quarter-orbit separation

Still image of SNPP maneuvering to a quarter-orbit separation

Still image of SNPP maneuvering to a quarter-orbit separation

Still image of SNPP maneuvering to a quarter-orbit separation

Still image of the final configuration for SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image of the final configuration for SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image of the final configuration for SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image of the final configuration for SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image comparing the node crossings of SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image comparing the node crossings of SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image comparing the sensor swaths of SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Still image comparing the sensor swaths of SNPP, JPSS-1, and JPSS-2

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

Datasets used in this visualization

STK Ephemeris (A.K.A. Satellite ToolKit Ephemeris)
Ephemeris STK

Satellite ephemerides

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