SOME HISTORY OF U.S. METSAT SYSTEMS Dr. Sam Miller Satellite Meteorology – MTO 506E Istanbul Technical University

Sputnik 1 [Cпутник-1] (4 October 1957) Launched by the Soviet Union. Caught most Americans by surprise.

Sputnik 1 [Cпутник-1] United States developed Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) in response. Within 18 months United States launched its first satellite.

Explorer (1959) Returned first photo from Earth orbit. Highly elliptical orbit.

Explorer Apogee: 1088 km Perigee: 556 km Period: 101.3 minutes Orbits not equatorial; not polar.

Explorer 7 (October, 1959) Carried first radiometer (quantitative radiation sensor). First successful meteorological instrument.

TIROS (1960) TIROS 1 lasted 79 days. Returned about 23,000 images.

TIROS Television and Infrared Observational Satellites Carried standard TV camera – one complete image every 2 seconds. Ten TIROS satellites launched in original program – last one launched in 1965.

TIROS Television and Infrared Observational Satellites Carried standard TV camera – one complete image every 2 seconds. Ten TIROS satellites launched in original program – last one launched in 1965. Apogee: 722 km Perigee: 677 km Period: 98.7 min Orbits not equatorial; not polar.

First image returned by TIROS

TIROS First 4 TIROS were put into orbit with inclination (i) of 48 degrees.

TIROS First 4 TIROS were put into orbit with inclination (i) of 48 degrees. TIROS 5 - 10: i set to 58 deg – gave better images of poles.

TIROS First 4 TIROS were put into orbit with inclination (i) of 48 degrees. TIROS 5 - 10: i set to 58 deg – gave better images of poles. TIROS 8: Introduced Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) – Images broadcast to Earth via VHF.

TIROS First 4 TIROS were put into orbit with inclination (i) of 48 degrees. TIROS 5 - 10: i set to 58 deg – gave better images of poles. TIROS 8: Introduced Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) – Images broadcast to Earth via VHF. TIROS 9: Changed camera orientation, making mosaic photos possible.

TIROS First 4 TIROS were put into orbit with inclination (i) of 48 degrees. TIROS 5 - 10: i set to 58 deg – gave better images of poles. TIROS 8: Introduced Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) – Images broadcast to Earth via VHF. TIROS 9: Changed camera orientation, making mosaic photos possible. TIROS N (1978) began 3rd generation of U.S.-launched polar orbiters.

TIROS First 4 TIROS were put into orbit with inclination (i) of 48 degrees. TIROS 5 - 10: i set to 58 deg – gave better images of poles. TIROS 8: Introduced Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) – Images broadcast to Earth via VHF. TIROS 9: Changed camera orientation, making mosaic photos possible. TIROS N (1978) began 3rd generation of U.S.-launched polar orbiters. Latest = TIROS N-PRIME/NOAA 19 launched in February, 2009.

TIROS Mosaic Image

NIMBUS (1964)

NIMBUS Stabilized on 3 axes using flywheels (gyroscopes). Rotated on its own axis once/orbit so that instruments pointed “down” at Earth all the time. Carried High-Resolution Infrared Radiometers (HRIR) similar to modern-day instruments. NIMBUS 1 was first sunsynchronous satellite – passed over points on Earth surface at about the same time of day.

NIMBUS NIMBUS 3 carried instrumentation to estimate atmospheric soundings from space. NIMBUS 4 carried Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument for measuring ozone. NIMBUS 7 (last) remained operational through 1994.

NIMBUS NIMBUS 3 carried instrumentation to estimate atmospheric soundings from space. NIMBUS 4 carried Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument for measuring ozone. NIMBUS 7 (last) remained operational through 1994. Apogee: 937 km Perigee: 429 km Period: 98.5 minutes Polar orbiters.

ESSA (1966) Environmental Science Service Administration (ESSA) was predecessor of NOAA. Commissioned satellites ESSA 1 – 9. Similar to TIROS, but all in sunsynchronous orbits. Carried video and radiometer (IR) cameras.

ESSA Even-numbered satellites (2, 4, 6, 8) carried APT for VHF transmission to Earth. Odd-numbered satellites carried Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS) – stored images for later playback to Earth station.

ESSA Even-numbered satellites (2, 4, 6, 8) carried APT for VHF transmission to Earth. Odd-numbered satellites carried Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS) – stored images for later playback to Earth station. Apogee: 818 km Perigee: 689 km Period: 100 minutes Polar orbiters.

DMSP (1966)

DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program USAF. Program continues to the present day: DMSP 19 launched in 2011. Sunsynchronous orbits. Instrumentation began with video cameras; evolved to include many others, including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).

DMSP Apogee: 872 km Perigee: 680 km Period: 100.5 minutes Polar orbiters.

ATS (1966) Applications Technology Satellite First metsat in geostationary orbit. Placed above Western Hemisphere. Designed to test meteorological and other types of instrumentation. ATS 3 launched with equipment for creating color images (see plate 1 on page facing pg. 214); launched in 1967; remained active until 2001.

ATS Total of 6 launched – last one in 1974.

ITOS (1970) Improved TIROS Operational System NOAA 1 – 5 completed this series (total of 6). Sunsynchronous orbits.

ITOS Improved TIROS Operational System NOAA 1 – 5 completed this series (total of 6). Sunsynchronous orbits. Apogee: 1477 km Perigee: 1432 km Period: 115 minutes Polar orbiters.

LANDSAT (1972) LANDSAT 1 aka Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) High resolution sensors – 80 meters in first satellite and 15 meters in latest. Used by meteorologists to study small clouds. Apogee: 911 km Perigee: 899 km Period: 103.2 minutes Polar orbiters.

CURRENT CIVIL POLAR ORBITERS: METOP-A and NOAA 15 - 19

POES STATUS As of 6 February 2012: METOP-A (EUMETSAT): AM Primary NOAA 11: Decommissioned 2004 NOAA 12: Decommissioned 2007 NOAA 14: Decommissioned 2007 NOAA 15: AM Secondary NOAA 16: PM Secondary NOAA 17: AM Backup NOAA 18: PM Secondary NOAA 19: PM Primary

GOES (1975)

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Operational workhorse of day-to-day weather forecasting. United States has generally maintained two operational satellites in orbit at all times: One above 75 west; one above 135 west. Additional GOES in standby orbit and on loan to South America

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Operational workhorse of day-to-day weather forecasting. United States has generally maintained two operational satellites in orbit at all times: One above 75 west; one above 135 west. Apogee: 35,804 km Perigee: 35,797 km Period: 1436.7 minutes (~1 day) Equatorial orbiters.

GOES STATUS As of 6 February 2012: GOES 8: Decommissioned 2004 GOES 12: S. America (60 ºW) (Earth Observing Partnership of the Americas) GOES 13: Operational East (75 ºW) GOES 14: On-Orbit Storage (105 ºW) GOES 15: Operational West (135 ºW)

FOR CURRENT STATUS OF ALL METSAT SYTEMS http://www.oso.noaa.gov