Development operation, and management of the sounder sips for processing suomi NPP sounder data the contract is the sponsoring agreement between the national aeronautics and space administration…

NASA awarded a delivery order valued at approximately $36M to the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the development, operation, and management of the Sounder SIPS (Science Information Processing System) for processing Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) sounder data. The contract, awarded on October 1, 2018, with a completion date of September 26, 2027, supports NASA's Earth Science Division by establishing data processing infrastructure for the Suomi NPP mission, which provides critical atmospheric and ocean observations from space. No set-aside designation was applied to this award, indicating selection based on JPL's technical merit and demonstrated capabilities in spacecraft systems, scientific instrumentation, and mission operations.

As a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), JPL serves as NASA's primary partner in executing complex space missions and developing advanced aerospace technologies across multiple scientific domains including Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, and astrophysics. This delivery order represents a component of JPL's broader contract portfolio supporting NASA's Science Mission Directorate, leveraging the laboratory's specialized expertise in autonomous systems, advanced sensor technologies, and data processing infrastructure to fulfill the government's objectives in Earth observation and climate monitoring.

Development operation, and management of the sounder sips for processing suomi NPP sounder data the contract is the sponsoring agreement between the national aeronautics and space administration (NASA) and the california institute of technology (contractor), a private nonprofit educational institution, which establishes the relationship for the operation of the federally funded research and development center (ffrdc) known as the jet propulsion laboratory. The contractor, JPL, is required to perform work that is designated in task orders issued by the NASA management office (NMO) contracting officers. NASA - sponsored work: JPL's primary mission is to support the NASA science mission directorate (SMD) in carrying out the specific objectives identified in the SMD science plan. The four broad scientific areas are: earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, and astrophysics. In performance of this contract, JPL shall: 1) supply a broad base of scientific and technical capabilities relevant to NASA program and project responsibilities and assignments. 2) foster its unique relationship with a top-tier university to facilitate the involvement of scientists, engineers, and students from the university and research communities in NASA mission and in supporting other government agencies. 3) support NASA in enabling program and institutional capabilities. 4) develop spacecraft and instruments that are sent to various destinations with our solar system, including earth orbit, planets, planetary satellites, asteroids, and comets. These missions may be orbiters, landers, or rovers, and typically include cutting-edge technologies required to meet scientific requirements. 5) perform project tasks involving: (i) autonomous deep-space, inner-space and earth-orbiting spacecraft or major subsystems, (II) experiments, instruments, or other devices which may be carried as payload on spacecrafts in missions managed by others, and/or (III) ground-based systems. 6) beyond its primary mission, JPL may perform work for other NASA mission directorates or offices. 7) JPL is also responsible for the operation, research, technology insertion, and management of NASA s deep space network to provide telecommunication and operation services, including data acquisition and data delivery required to meet established agency objectives. 8) JPL is also required to maintain and conduct an education program in close coordination with the NASA headquarters education office, the academic community at large, and in support to NASA strategic objectives to improve student retention in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (stem) disciplines. Work for non-NASA sponsors: JPL may perform work for non-NASA sponsors. This work will be designated in task orders issued by NMO contracting officers based on task plans initiated by the contractor.