All this information—satellite data, imagery, derived products, and model  output—is used in mapping and monitoring changes in weather, climate,  the ocean, and the environment. The converged program is called  the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System  (NPOESS), and it is considered critical to the United States’ ability to  maintain the continuity of data required for weather forecasting and global  climate monitoring. Specifically, changing funding streams and revised  schedules have delayed the expected launch date of the first NPOESS  satellite, and concerns with the development of key sensors and the data  processing system may cause additional delays in the satellite launch date. In attempting to address these risks, the program office is  working to develop a new cost and schedule baseline for the NPOESS  program, which it hopes to complete by August 2003. As a result of the changes in funding between 2003 and 2007, project office  officials estimate that the first NPOESS satellite will be available for  launch 21 months after it is needed to back up the final POES satellite. This means that should the final POES launch fail in March 2008, there  would be no backup satellite ready for launch. Unless the existing  operational satellite is able to continue operations beyond its expected  lifespan, there could be a gap in satellite coverage. NPOESS Program Office Is Working to Address Risks

Program officials are working to address the changes in funding levels and  schedule, and to make plans for addressing specific sensor and data  processing system risks. NPOESS is  expected to merge today’s two separate satellite systems into a single  state-of-the-art weather and environmental monitoring satellite system to  support all military and civilian users, as well as the public. This new  satellite system is considered critical to the United States’ ability to  maintain the continuity of data required for weather forecasting and global  climate monitoring through the year 2018, and the first satellite was  expected to be ready to act as a backup should the launch of the final  satellites in the predecessor POES and DMSP programs fail. However,  the NPOESS program faces key programmatic and technical risks that may  affect the successful and timely deployment of the system. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to provide an overview of our nation’s current polar- orbiting weather satellite program and the planned National Polar-orbiting  Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) program and to  identify key risks to the successful and timely deployment of NPOESS.
Why GAO Did This Study

Polar-orbiting environmental satellites provide data and imagery that are used by weather forecasters, climatologists, and the military to map and monitor changes in weather, climate, the ocean, and the environment. The current polar satellite program is a complex infrastructure that includes two satellite systems, supporting ground stations, and four central data processing centers. In the future, the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) is to merge the two current satellite systems into a single state-of-the-art environment monitoring satellite system. This new $7 billion satellite system is considered critical to the United States' ability to maintain the continuity of data required for weather forecasting and global climate monitoring through the year 2018. In its testimony GAO was asked, among other topics, to discuss risks to the success of the NPOESS deployment.

What GAO Found

The NPOESS program faces key programmatic and technical risks that may affect the successful and timely deployment of the system. The original plan for NPOESS was that it would be available to serve as a backup to the March 2008 launch of the final satellite in one of the two current satellite programs--the Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) system. However, changing funding streams and revised schedules have delayed the expected launch date of the first NPOESS satellite by 21 months. Thus, the first NPOESS satellite will not be ready in time to back up the final POES satellite, resulting in a potential gap in satellite coverage should that satellite fail. Specifically, if the final POES launch fails and if existing satellites are unable to continue operations beyond their expected lifespans, the continuity of weather data needed for weather forecasts and climate monitoring will be put at risk. Moreover, concerns with the development of key NPOESS components, including critical sensors and the data processing system, may cause additional delays in the satellite launch date. The program office is working to address the changes in funding levels and schedule, and to make plans for addressing specific risks. Further, it is working to develop a new cost and schedule baseline for the NPOESS program by August 2003.