NASA NPP Project Scientist Jim Gleason talks to reporters about the planned launch of the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft during a briefing held on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. NPP is the first NASA satellite mission to address the challenge of acquiring a wide range of land, ocean, and atmospheric measurements for Earth system science while simultaneously preparing to address operational requirements for weather forecasting. NPP is scheduled to launch early Friday morning on a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls) NASA Identifier: nasahqphoto-6284630052