NASA Selects Ball Aerospace for NOAA’s GeoXO Sounder

NASA has chosen Ball Aerospace to develop the sounder instrument for NOAA’s GeoXO satellite program. The contract, valued at $486.9 million, includes the build, delivery, integration, and support for the instrument. The agreement also allows for additional units and entails a 15-year commitment, including on-orbit operations and storage. The work will be carried out at Ball Aerospace’s facility in Boulder, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and Kennedy Space Center.

The GeoXO Sounder (GXS) is a hyperspectral infrared instrument that will provide real-time information on atmospheric moisture, temperature, and winds over the Western Hemisphere. The data collected by GXS will be utilized by the National Weather Service to enhance weather prediction and short-term forecasts, as well as by the National Hurricane Center to improve hurricane track and intensity forecasts.

Under the contract, Ball Aerospace will handle the design, development, fabrication, testing, and integration of the instrument, as well as the supply and maintenance of ground support equipment. The mission operations will be supported at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility.

The GeoXO satellite system aims to enhance Earth observations from geostationary orbit, providing crucial information for addressing future environmental challenges related to weather, ocean, and climate operations in the United States. The program is a joint effort between NOAA and NASA, with NOAA managing the program and operations while NASA and commercial partners develop the instruments and spacecraft.

For more details on the GeoXO program, please visit the following link: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/geoxo.