ABB interferometer is at the heart of a key instrument for the
Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) launched by NASA for
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help
improve the timeliness and accuracy of weather forecasts three to
seven days out. An extremely important program given the recent
active hurricane season.
QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 15, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Successfully
launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the JPSS-1 satellite is joining
the NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting satellite in the same
orbit to provide meteorologists with data on atmospheric
temperature and moisture, clouds, sea-surface temperature, ocean
color, sea ice cover, volcanic ash, and fire detection. The data
will improve weather forecasting, such as predicting a hurricane's
track, and will help agencies involved with post-storm recovery by
visualizing storm damage and the geographic extent of power
outages.
Working with its customer, Harris Corporation, ABB Canada
developed the interferometer as a critical element to the
Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), one of the instruments that
make up the next generation of US polar-orbiting meteorological
satellites. The ABB Measurement & Analytics Business Unit
facility in Quebec City, Canada
has had more than 200 employees working on the CrIS
program.
"ABB Canada, through its
facilities in Quebec City, built
the heart of the atmospheric sounder for the JPSS-1 satellite, a
very critical element to this mission. Our team has also built a
similar system for the predecessor of JPSS-1, the Suomi-NPP
satellite, in orbit since 2011. ABB Measurement &
Analytics Business Unit is also under contract with Harris
Corporation to build the next 3 units (JPSS-2, JPSS-3 and
JPSS-4). In addition to the local economic benefits generated
by this project, ABB is once again putting forward its experience
and rich technological legacy in the space industry." said
Marc Corriveau, General Manager
Local Business Unit – Industrial Automation Measurement &
Analytics Canada.
JPSS satellites circle the Earth from pole-to-pole, crossing the
equator 14 times daily, providing full global coverage twice a day.
Polar satellites are considered the backbone of the global
observing system. JPSS is a collaborative effort between NOAA and
NASA and presents significant technological and scientific
advancements in observations used for severe weather prediction and
environmental monitoring.
ABB is a pioneering technology leader in electrification
products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power
grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport &
infrastructure globally. Continuing a more than 125-year history of
innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial
digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial
Revolutions. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about
136,000 employees.
ABB's Measurement & Analytics business unit
(www.abb.com/measurement) is among the world's leading
manufacturers and suppliers of instrumentation and analyzers. With
thousands of experts around the world and high-performance digital
technology, ABB's team is dedicated to making measurement easy for
its customers.
ABB has a strong history in Canada, and the company continues to expand
and localize its offerings for customers. With its Canadian
corporate headquarters in Montreal, ABB operates close to 50 facilities
and employs approximately 4,000 people across Canada.
www.abb.ca
SOURCE ABB inc.