SUOMI NPP
Suomi NPP, launched in 2011, bridges NASA Earth-science research and operational weather observation. Its VIIRS instrument produces imagery of clouds, fires, oceans, ice and nighttime lights, while other instruments measure atmospheric temperature, moisture and ozone.
Object identity
- NORAD ID
- 37849
- COSPAR ID
- 2011-061A
- Operator
- Not listed
- Country
- Not listed
- Launch date
- Not listed
Immediate discovery
Why this satellite matters
Its polar orbit lets Earth rotate underneath the spacecraft so repeated passes build global coverage. The swath width, orbital period and Earth's rotation together determine revisit patterns.
Understanding the mission
Science and engineering ideas
Its polar orbit lets Earth rotate underneath the spacecraft so repeated passes build global coverage. The swath width, orbital period and Earth's rotation together determine revisit patterns.
Mission
Mission and purpose
Weather spacecraft carry instruments that observe Earth and its atmosphere in visible, infrared, microwave, or other wavelengths. Different orbits provide either repeated regional views or broad global coverage.
- Its polar orbit lets Earth rotate underneath the spacecraft so repeated passes build global coverage. The swath width, orbital period and Earth's rotation together determine revisit patterns.
Design
Engineering
Its polar orbit lets Earth rotate underneath the spacecraft so repeated passes build global coverage. The swath width, orbital period and Earth's rotation together determine revisit patterns.
Real orbital values
The mathematics
The current two-line element set reports approximately 14.1953 revolutions per day. Dividing 1,440 minutes by that value gives an estimated orbital period of 101.4 minutes.
Period
101.4 min
Representative speed
26,776 km/h
Representative altitude
834 km
Inclination
98.8°
Launch record
Launch and deployment
Suomi NPP launched on 28 October 2011 aboard a Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Orbit
LEO orbit explained
Low Earth orbit is the region closest to Earth used by most crewed spacecraft, many science missions, Earth-observation satellites, and large constellations. Objects move quickly and commonly complete an orbit in roughly 90 to 130 minutes.
LEO can provide detailed Earth views, lower communications delay, and easier access than higher orbits, but it covers less area per spacecraft and is more affected by atmospheric drag.
Live TransitSatellite experience
See SUOMI NPP moving now
Open the live tracker to view its current calculated position, trajectory, orbital information, visibility tools, and Save and Share controls.
Learning
Questions to explore
- Why can infrared instruments observe clouds at night?
- What is the difference between continuous regional coverage and global coverage?
Evidence
Sources and data notes
Current identity and orbital elements come from CelesTrak’s public GP data. Calculated orbit values are derived from the current TLE and may change after catalog updates. Mission-history claims are added separately and require authoritative sources.
Catalog updated
Sep 19, 2026, 11:18 AM UTC
Story review
1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z