NPP: New weather and climate satellite is a big deal for NASA and NOAA

As I sit in mission control at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, I am in awe at the effort put forth to literally get this thing off of the ground. The NPP Satellite is joint mission with NOAA and NASA to study earth in a new way. There are 5 instruments that will collect over 30 different data sets, all costing a mere $1.5 billion. It will help improve climate modeling, which has already failed according to Astronaut and climate scientist Piers Sellers. Old models predicted a much warmer outlook than we have documented. This collection of instruments may help bridge the gap between both sides of the global warming debate. It is a big deal.
Having NASA and NOAA coordinate efforts on one mission with many moving parts has actually made the most of the resources to be efficient with the time and funding. What is more impressive is actually getting this thing to work. As Astronaut Piers Sellers pointed out, we have half a million parts that all need to work. We had enough trouble lining up the TV satellite for our live interview on Good Morning Maryland and had to resort to plan B, Skype. In rocket science, they always expect something to go wrong.
One dress rehearsal this week at mission control simulated multiple possible failures as the Delta II rocket launches 12 miles away. This can be anything from the rocket itself to communication, and how they would actually respond. Five teams (Kennedy Space Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, ULA, and Ball Aerospace) have to come up with their own solutions to every possible problem, so they are ready if it actually happens. Then the best solution is documented and placed on standby if the need arises.
The launch was already pushed back three days from the original date due to hydraulics with the rocket, but NASA has given a zero chance of weather being a factor this Friday morning. That was a first for many here involved. If it all works out, then plan for somewhere between 5:45 and 5:55 am EDT. It will be my first launch in person but I hope to share it. We should have it on ABC2.
What is the main thing you should know about NPP? Listen to Piers in his own words in the video. Here are the basic highlights below:

• The NPP Satellite weighs 2.5 tons and is about the size of an SUV
• The launch vehicle is a Delta II Rocket, which is one of the fastest. It should be out of visible range and close to orbit within 2 minutes of leaving the launch pad.
• NOAA will use data in computer models to improve the 5 day forecast of hurricanes and other extreme events.
• NASA will be monitoring climate data
• It will be in a polar orbit. That means it will go over the north and South Pole, passing 14 times around earth each day. It essentially will follow the sun to give the broadest perspective of earth possible.
• It is going to have on visual imager on board, VIIRS, but the other sensors will be just as important.
• CERES- Cloud and the Earth Radiant Energy System was made by Northrop Grumman in Maryland, and they will be monitoring the data in Suitland, MD. This will measure the heat budget of Earth and any impact of clouds on retaining or releasing heat.
• Vegetation will be measured for droughts as well as tracking wild fires. We just had to deal with smoke this summer from the Great Dismal Swamp fire in southern VA.
• Ocean conditions will be tracked to help better understand the development and extent of El Nino and La Nina.