The joint NOAA and DOD National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite system has raised the ire of Congress, as one of many space programs that appear to have gone off the rails. It has Congressional auditors worrying about a possible weather gap. NPOESS has breached the Nunn-McCurdy rule, making its continued existence questionable. Yet, defense analyst Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute, says the problems with NPOESS “aren’t so serious” as some folks believe. In fact, he says, one reason NPOESS wound up on the breach roll is because of an “accounting change, not a technology problem.” What troubles the program has “reside in a handful of sensors rather than overall design,” says Thompson. Will it get a second chance
We looked back on the past 12 months to find the stories that resonated the most with you, our audience, and these 10 topped the list. Maybe you missed one the first time around, or perhaps you’d like to revisit a favorite.