NASA has awarded a sole source contract modification to Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems of El Segundo, California, for two Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments for the Polar Follow-On/Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-3 and JPSS-4 missions.

This is a cost-plus-award-fee new work modification. The total value of this contract is increased from $571,227,466 by $563,583,823 to $1,134,811,289. This action extends the period of performance to 18 months after the launch of JPSS-4.

The contractor will manufacture, test and deliver the VIIRS instruments, support instrument integration on the spacecraft and provide launch and post-launch support. The VIIRS Polar Follow-On/JPSS-3 and JPSS-4 instruments will be new builds of the VIIRS currently flying on the NOAA/NASA Suomi NPP Mission.

VIIRS is a scanning radiometer that collects visible and infrared imagery and radiometric measurements of the land, atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans. VIIRS data is used to measure cloud and aerosol properties, ocean color, sea and land surface temperature, ice motion and temperature, fires and Earth's albedo. Climatologists use VIIRS data to enhance global climate observations.

The JPSS missions are funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide global environmental data in low-Earth polar orbit in support of NOAA's mission. NASA is the acquisition agent for the flight systems and components of the ground segment.