- NASA, on behalf of NOAA, has awarded Ball Aerospace a contract valued at approximately $486.9 million to develop the GeoXO Sounder instrument.
- The GeoXO Sounder will provide real-time data on atmospheric conditions, aiding in weather prediction and severe weather forecasts, including hurricanes.
Boulder, Colorado, September 11, 2023, NASA has selected Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation of Boulder, Colorado, to develop a groundbreaking instrument for its Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite program. The contract, worth an estimated $486.9 million, includes the build, delivery, spacecraft integration, and post-delivery support for the GeoXO Sounder (GXS) instrument.
A Leap in Atmospheric Monitoring
The GXS is a hyperspectral infrared instrument designed to provide real-time information about the vertical distribution of atmospheric moisture, temperature, and winds over the Western Hemisphere. This data will be invaluable to the National Weather Service for improving weather prediction and short-term forecasts of convection and severe weather. Additionally, the National Hurricane Center will utilize GXS data to enhance hurricane track and intensity forecasts.
Long-Term Commitment
The contract’s scope is extensive, covering tasks and deliverables necessary for the design, development, fabrication, integration, calibration, testing, and verification of the instrument. It also includes support for mission operations at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland. The period of performance for this contract will support 10 years of on-orbit operations and five years of on-orbit storage, totaling 15 years for each flight instrument.
Advancing Earth Observations
The GeoXO satellite system aims to advance Earth observations from geostationary orbit. It will supply crucial information to address major environmental challenges related to weather, ocean, and climate operations in the United States. The mission’s advanced capabilities will help address our changing planet and the evolving needs of NOAA’s data users.
Collaborative Efforts
NOAA funds and manages the program, operations, and data products, while NASA and commercial partners, including Ball Aerospace, will develop and build the instruments and spacecraft and launch the satellites.
