Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. is integrating the last instrument on NASA’s National Preparatory Project weather satellite.
The Cross-track Infrared Sounder, or CrIS, is an advanced atmospheric sensor built by ITT Corp.
The CrIS is one of five instruments that will collect and distribute remotely measured land, ocean and atmospheric data.
Meteorological and global climate-change researchers will receive the satellite’s information on atmospheric and sea-surface temperatures, humidity, land and ocean biological productivity, and cloud and aerosol properties.
Ball designed and built the spacecraft bus under a contract with NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center.
Integration of the CrIS is scheduled to be completed later this month, with the launch late next year.
Ball is expected to be chosen to build a second spacecraft for a NASA civilian weather-satellite system.
In February, the Obama administration decided to split a program called the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System that had been under development for more than 10 years.
Delays and rising costs led to the split, with the U.S. Air Force and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration now proceeding separately.
The National Preparatory Project was intended to test instruments for the polar-orbiting system, but now the satellite will be operational.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com
