Receive Contract From NOAA, BAE Systems Will Create Air Quality Observer Satellite Instruments

NASA and NOAA are working together to create a GeoXO satellite (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA BAE Systems, the UK's largest security and aerospace company, has received a satellite creation contract. This contract was awarded by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). BAE Systems received a contract worth 365 million US dollars (Rp 5.8 trillion) to develop the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite. The satellite will be built at the BAE Systems, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Kennedy Space Center facilities. Based on the contract that has been agreed both sides, BAE Systems will create instruments from the GeoXO satellite and create additional units if it gets demand. Each of the launched satellites must be supported for 15 years. This performance period consists of 10 years of satellite operations in orbit and 5 years of storage in orbit before performing a de-orbital or re-entry process into Earth's atmosphere until it catches fire. During the performance period, BAE will ensure its instruments are safe. GeoXO instruments constitute a hyperspectral spectrometer that can measure the broad spectrum of light from the ultraviolet. These instruments will observe hourly air pollutants of transport, power generation, oil and gas extrasion, and others.

This pollutant is observed while in the atmosphere. It is hoped that, "By providing continuous observations and measurements of atmospheric composition, GeoXO instrument data will improve forecasting and monitoring of air quality." In addition, the resulting data will be used to mitigate the health impacts of pollution and smoke, such as asthma, cardiovascular disease or blood vessel system, and neurological disorders or brain nervous system. GeoXO satellite is a program undertaken by NASA and NOAA. Both collaborate, but the contract is handed over on behalf of NOAA. Not only incorporating names in the contract, NOAA also funds and manages programs up to its data products.