Space environmental data requirements for polar-orbiting operational environmental spacecraft

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) is a key component of the future US space weather monitoring architecture. The Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Department of Defense (DoD) are responsive to National needs from which requirements for NPOESS space environmental data records are derived. The NPOESS requirements for space environmental data are specified in the Integrated Operational Requirements Document (IORD) jointly approved by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the DOC and the DoD. The Space Environmental Sensor Suite (SESS) is the set of space sensors and algorithms needed to measure and process space environmental data in accordance with the IORD. The intent of this report is to provide the basis of requirements for space environmental monitoring by the NPOESS program and to describe how the NPOESS SESS mission addresses the space weather architectural needs of the DOC and DoD.