WASHINGTON, 16 July 2009. has awarded a contract to the The University of Colorado at Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics won from NASA a contract to develop the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS). The TSIS is considered a key instrument for the future National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The total estimated value of the cost, no-fee contract is $42 million.

The contractor will be responsible for the design, engineering analyses, hardware and software development, fabrication, integration, algorithm development, test, evaluation, and support for integration of the instrument with the NPOESS spacecraft. The sensor will fly on the NPOESS, C1 mission, says a representative.
NASA is developing the TSIS Flight Model 1 under a reimbursable agreement with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NPOESS is a joint program to develop the next generation of polar-orbiting operational environmental satellites, and is co-funded by NOAA and the Department of Defense, with NASA as a technology provider. The NPOESS program is managed by the interagency Integrated Program Office.