JPSS - WKTV Journal

The first Joint Polar Satellite System will launch this month with WTKV featuring coverage of the launch on Friday, Nov. 10. The launch will be from the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Coverage will begin at approximately 4:15am.

The launch will air on NASA TV which can beset on WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and on AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.

JPSS (short for Joint Polar Satellite System) is a series of high tech satellites that will keep an eye on the weather and environment. These satellites will circle the Earth from North Pole to South Pole 14 times each day as the planet spins below. This allows JPSS to see the whole Earth twice every day!

JPSS-1—the first satellite in the JPSS series—has a suite of advanced instruments to collect information about what’s happening in the atmosphere, on the land, and on the surface of the oceans. From its orbit 512 miles above Earth, JPSS-1 will help:

Create more accurate weather forecasts up to 7 days in advance.
Track how the weather affects plants, including forests and the crops that grow our food.
Monitor ocean health by taking detailed measurements of water temperature and color.
Keep tabs on the atmosphere to create earlier warnings of severe weather.
Watch for volcanoes and forest fires around the world to monitor air quality and enhance public safety.

Also on Saturday, Nov. 11, WKTV will be featuring the launch of the Orbital ATK Antares/Cygnus on the CRS-8 Mission to the International Space Station. Coverage begins at 7 a.m. with the launch scheduled for 7:37 a.m. Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and scientific equipment to the space station.

On Monday, Nov. 13, WKTV will be featuring coverage of the Rendezvous and Capture of the Orbital ATK Cygnus CRS-8 Cargo Craft at the International Space Station. Coverage starts at 4:15 a.m. with the grapple scheduled for 5:40am. Installation of the Cargo Craft starts at 7 a.m.

For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.