Ball Aerospace: JPSS-1, the first Joint Polar Satellite Systems Spacecraft

Scott Asbury is the Engineering Director of Program Execution at Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado.  Scott has 30 years of experience in the aerospace engineering field with 20 years at Ball Aerospace and 10 years at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

At NASA, Scott conducted research on advanced aircraft and missile systems including leading wind-tunnel tests supporting development of the F-22 and F-35 military fighter aircraft. Scott later led human factors and aviation safety research and development projects focused on improving safety in general and commercial aviation operations.  As part of these R&D projects, Scott trained as a commercial pilot and flight instructor and gained practical aviation experience flying in the cockpit of regular scheduled flights with United Airlines.

At Ball Aerospace, Scott has led a wide variety of spaceflight instrument and satellite programs supporting missions for NASA, NOAA and the DoD. Scott will be speaking today on one of his larger programs, the first Joint Polar Satellite Systems Spacecraft, known as JPSS-1.  Launched in November 2017, JPSS-1 is the primary, polar-orbiting, operational weather satellite for the United States.  Scott will provide a brief overview of the design and development of JPSS-1 and will show examples of how the satellite data is used to predict and prepare for severe weather events.

Scott is a 1990 graduate of Virginia Tech in Aerospace Engineering, a 1997 graduate of The George Washington University in Engineering Management and a 2000 graduate of the Flight Safety International’s Commercial Pilot Training Program. Scott, his wife Jennifer and daughter Audrey live in Niwot.