Overview
The BAE Systems Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) instrument provides critical information on the health of the Earth’s ozone layer, continuing the nation’s long-term ozone data record and protecting the health of people worldwide. OMPS measures atmospheric ozone and how ozone concentration varies with altitude. By measuring the global distribution of ozone, OMPS data helps scientists track the recovery of the ozone layer from the effects of ozone-depleting substances like halons or chlorofluorocarbons over the next few decades.
OMPS is one of five instruments that launched aboard the BAE Systems-built Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (NPP) spacecraft in 2011. A second OMPS flies on the NOAA-20 satellite (formerly JPSS-1) that launched in 2017. BAE Systems also built a third OMPS instrument for NOAA-21 (formerly JPSS-2) which launched in 2022.
What We Did
We designed, built, and tested all three OMPS instruments that are currently on orbit, as well as supported instrument integration on the Suomi NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 satellites. OMPS builds on BAE Systems’ more than 40-year heritage of developing ozone monitoring instruments for NOAA and NASA. OMPS products, when combined with cloud predictions, also help produce better ultraviolet index forecasts.
Click here to learn more about the polar-orbiting satellites improving weather forecasting and climate monitoring.