The evolution and status of requirements for ocean data products from the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)

The Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) is a successor to the former National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System acquisition program and is responsible for fulfilling civil sector operational requirements for Earth observations applicable to polar-orbiting satellite systems. As the sponsor of the JPSS acquisition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is establishing system-level requirements for the sensor and environmental data products, including ocean data products, which will be produced and delivered by the system. Most of the requirements represent an evolution from those driving the acquisition of the predecessor program but there are some important differences, particularly for ocean products associated with normalized water-leaving radiances. Through agreements between NOAA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the JPSS requirements accommodate ground system processing and delivery of ocean products that will be available from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 instrument on the planned Global Change Observation Mission - Water. The requirements also include the processing and delivery of ocean data products from the Microwave Imager-Sounder instrument expected to be manifested as part of the Defense Weather Satellite System.