The National Snow and Ice Data Center has learned that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) will continue processing and delivering data from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) instrument through the retirement of the DMSP mission, expected in September 2026. As a result, the Near-Real-Time NOAA/NSIDC Climate Data Record of Passive Microwave Sea Ice Concentration, Version 3 data set will continue to update.
Please note that gaps in the DMSP SSMIS data, which began in late spring of 2025 when the DoD deprioritized SSMIS data processing, may continue through the end of the mission. Sensor failures might also occur before mission completion. We are currently working to release a new version of this product that will use AMSR2 in preparation for the end of access to SSMIS data in September 2026.
Data set DOI: https://doi.org/10.7265/j0z0-4h87