The Delta II rocket set to launch the JPSS-1 satellite is illuminated as night falls at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument is used for weather forecasting and environmental assessment such as determining sea surface temperatures or tracking floods and fires. This high-resolution infrared image of Hurricane Irma was taken by a VIIRS instrument aboard a NASA-NOAA satellite as the storm approached Puerto Rico on Sept. 3. Mandt explained that all these instruments are designed to work in tandem to inform how we respond to weather. Louis Uccellini, director of the National Weather Service, said satellites such as JPSS-1 are essential for helping emergency managers get accurate weather forecasts up to seven days in advance.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 15, 2017 02:03 UTC