1. MET SATELLITES
HISTORY

2. SATELLITE SYSTEMS FOR MET OBSERVATION
LOW EARTH ORBITING
GEOSYNCHRONOUS
TIROS
NIMBUS (1964 – 1978)
ITOS NOAA
TIROS-N / NOAA
(VHRR/SOUNDERS)
SPINNERS - SMS 
GOES
METEOSAT
THREE AXIS STABILISED
INSAT
GOES-8 
(1999)

3. TYPES OF ORBITS Types of orbits Inclination altitude
Geosynchronous ≈ 0 High
Tropical ≈ 30 Low
Medium Inclination ≈ 45-65 Low
Molniya * ≈ 65 High
High Inclination ≈ 80 or 100 Low
(not 90 )
* It has never been used

4. Schematics showing different types of orbits.
POLAR
INCLINED
Equator
Inclined
Equatorial
Polar
Schematics showing different types of orbits.
EQUITORIAL

5. Metosat-5
74 E, 83.5 E, 93.5 E

6. MET OBSERVATION FROM SPACE
AUGUST 7, EXPLORER-6 transmits
first TV photo of earth
from space
OCTOBER 13, EXPLORER-7 launched
Carried Suomi radiometer
measuring solar &
terrestrial radiation (ERB study)
APRIL 1, TIROS-1
First dedicated satellite
for metereological
observation
DECEMBER 6, ATS-1 – Spin Scan Cloud Camera
First geostationary met satellite

7. HISTORY OF SAT MET
ON 04 OCT 1957, FIRST SUCCESSFUL EARTH SAT, “SPUTNIK 1” WAS LAUNCHED BY SOVIET UNION.
ON 31 JAN 1958, “EXPLORER 1” WAS LAUNCHED BY US.
NASA WAS FORMED ON 01 OCT 1958.SINCE THEN FOR NEXT 30 YEARS , IT HAS LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF SATELLITES.
EXPLORER SERIES CONTINUED AND FIRST SUCCESSFUL MET INSTRUMENT (SUMOI RADIOMETER ) FLEW ON EXPLORER 7 ON 13OCT59.

8. TIROS-1

9. TIROS 1 – ORBIT & ATTITUDE

10. TIROS - SERIES
From 1 April 1960 to 2 July 1965 ten TIROS were launched
Several technological improvements in TIROS series
MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS:
Medium Resolution Infrared Scanning Radiometer (MRIR) 5 channels in VIS and IR
TIROS-8: Slow scan (4 lines/sec) Vidicon Camera for Automatic Picture Transmission
(APT) too inexpensive ground equipment twice a day
TIROS-9; Sun-synchronous Orbit; CARTWHEEL Orientation
Opportunity to take picture for every rotation of the satellite
Sun-synchronous orbit

11. Operating life (days)a
TIROS Satellites
Name
Launch datea
Operating life (days)a
Orbit
Features
TIROS-1
01 APR 1960 89
Inclined
2 TV cameras
TIROS-2
23 NOV 1960
376
2 TV cameras, SR a
TIROS-3
12 JUL 1961
230
TIROS-4
08 FEB 1962
161
TIROS-5
19 JUN 1962
321
TIROS-6
18 SEP 1962
389
TIROS-7
19 JUN 1963
1,809
TIROS-8
21 DEC 1963
1,287
1 TV camera, APT b
TIROS-9
22 JAN 1965
1,238
Sun-synch
Global coverage, 2 TV cameras
TIROS-10
02 JUL 1965
730
a Scanning radiometer (visible and infrared channels)
b Automatic picture transmission for direct readout locally.

12. TIROS Operational Satellite
TOS/ESSA
Dia 42”, Height 2’
TOS is follow on to TIROS
First operational weather satellite system of the US
Managed by Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA)
TOS spacecraft is also referred as ESSA
1400 Km sun-synchronous orbit
Odd numbered satellites carried two (redundant) Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS)
Even numbered satellites carried two (redundant) APT cameras.

13. ESSA Satellites – The First Operational Weather Satellite System
Name
Launch datea
Operating life (days)b
Features
ESSA-1
3 FEB 1966
861
2 AVCSc
ESSA-2
28 FEB 1966
1,692
2 APTd
ESSA-3
2 OCT 1966
738
2 AVCS
ESSA-4
26 JAN 1967
465
2 APT
ESSA-5
20 APR 1967
1,034
ESSA-6
10 NOV 1967
763
ESSA-7
16 AUG 1968
571
ESSA-8
15 DEC 1968
2,644
ESSA-9
26 FEB 1969
1,726
a All spacecrafts were placed in near-polar, sun-synchronous orbits.
b Number of days until satellite was turned off or failed.
c Advanced vidicon camera system with data recorders to obtain cloud pictures globally for central analysis.
d Automatic picture transmission vidicon camera for local direct readout over the earth.

14. Improved TIROS Operational Satellite (ITOS)
SECOND GENERATION OPERATIONAL SATELLITES
EIGHT SATELLITES LAUNCHED FROM 1970 TO 1976 (TWO FAILED)
ITOS-1 WAS FUNDED AND OPERATED BY NASA
ITOS-2 ONWARD FUNDED BY NOAA AND DESIGNATED NOAA-1, 2,…5.
VIDICON CAMERAS DISCONTINUED AFTER NOAA-1
TWO NEW SENSORS ADDED FROM NOAA-2 TO NOAA-5
VERY HIGH RESOLUTION RADIOMETER (VHRR)
VERTICAL TEMPERATURE PROFILE RADIOMETER (VTPR)

15. Operating life (days) b
ITOS Satellites
Name
Launch datea
Operating life (days) b
Features c
ITOS-1d
23 JAN 1970
510
2 APT a, 2 AVCS b, 2 SR c
NOAA-1
11 DEC 1970
252
2 APT, 2 AVCS, 2 SR
ITOS-B
Failure -
NOAA-2
15 OCT 1972
837
2 SR c, 2 VHRR d, 2 VTPR e
ITOS-E
NOAA-3
6 NOV 1973
1,029
2 SR, 2 VHRR, 2 VTPR
NOAA-4
15 NOV 1974
1,463
NOAA-5
29 JUL 1976
1,067
a Automatic picture transmission vidicon camera for local direct readout over the earth.
b Advanced vidicon camera system with data recorders to obtain cloud pictures globally for central analysis.
a Two-channel (visible and infrared), medium-resolution scanning radiometer providing image data day and night for immediate broadcast (APT function) and stored for later playback to provide global coverage for central analysis.
d Very high-resolution radiometer (visible and infrared).
e Vertical temperature profile radiometer, the first instrument for obtaining temperature soundings of the earth’s atmosphere from the operational satellite system.

16. NOAA 2 to 5 Payloads 2 VTPR – Vertical Temperature Profile Radiometer
Resolution
59 km
Swath
1364 km
Bands (microns)
14.92 – 14.99
14.65 – 14.87
14.29 – 14.49
14.03 – 14.22
13.70 – 13.88
13.30 – 13.48
18.38 – 19.01
11.93 – 12.08
2 VHRR – Very High Resolution Radiometer
0.87 km
2580 km
0.6 – 0.7
10.5 – 12.5
2 SR – Scanning Radiometer 1 2
3.7 km
7.4 km
Band (microns)
0.52 – 0.73
2900 km

17. Polar orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites(POES)
THIRD GENERATION LED METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITES STARTED WITH LAUNCH OF TIROS-N IN OCTOBER 1978.
CARRIED IMPROVED SENSORS FOR IMAGING (AVHRR) AND ATMOSPHERIC SOUNDING (TOVS)
SUBSEQUENT TIROS-N SERIES ARE DESIGNATED NOAA-6,7,….NOAA-14.
OPERATED AS PAIR OF SATELLITES OF ORBIT ABOUT 833/870 KM, SUN-SYNCHRONOUS, WITH EQUITORIAL CROSSING 0730 (AM) OR 1430 (PM)

19. Polar orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES)
Name
Launch date
End of useful life
Orbit
Features
TIROS-N
13 OCT 1978
1 NOV 1980 PM
AVHRR/HIRS
NOAA-6
27 JUN 1979
19 SEP 1983 AM
same
NOAA-B
29 MAY 1980
Launch failure
NOAA-7
23 JUN 1981
7 FEB 1985
Same
NOAA-8
28 MAR 1983
26 MAY 1984
NOAA-9
24 DEC 1984
Limited use
NOAA-10
17 SEP 1986
Same, except no SSU
NOAA-11
24 SEP 1988
Same, with SSU
NOAA-12
14 MAY 1991
Operational
NOAA-13
9 AUG 1993
21 AUG 1993
NOAA-14
30 DEC 1994
AVHRR - Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
HRIR - High Resolution Infrared Radiation sounder
MSU - Microwave Sounding Unit
SSU - Stratospheric Sounding Unit (provided by the UK)
DCS - Data Collection System (provided by France)

20. NOAA 15, 16, 17
May 1998/Sept 2000/June 2002
NOAA 15 ONWARDS CARRY DEDICATED MW SOUNDER
IMPROVED AVHRR WITH ADDITIONAL BAND AT 1.6 m
THE MAJOR PAYLOADS ARE –
ADVANCED VERY HIGH RESOLUTION RADIOMETER (AVHRR/3)
HIGH RESOLUTION IR RADIATION SOUNDER (HIRS/2)
ADVANCED MICROWAVE SOUNDING UNIT- A1 (AMSU-A1)
ADVANCED MICROWAVE SOUNDING UNIT- A2 (AMSU-A2)
ADVANCED MICROWAVE SOUNDING UNIT – B (AMSU-B)
SOLAR BACKSCATTER UV RAIOMETER (SBUV)

21. NOAA-18

22. AVHRR/3 CHANNEL CHARACTERISTICS
First AVHRR flown on TIROS-N (1978) had, 1, 2, 3B & 4 (10.5 – 12.5) channels
Second generation carried on NOAA-7(1981) had, 1, 2, 3B, 4, 5 channels
The third generation VHRR/3 carried from NOAA-15 onwards
Channel number
Resolution at nadir
Wavelength (um)
Detector
Typical use 1
1.09 km
0.58 – 0.68 Si
Daytime cloud and surface mapping 2
0.725 – 1.00
Land-water boundaries 3A
1.58 – 1.64
InGaAs
Snow and ice detection 3B
3.55 – 3.93
InSb
Night cloud mapping, sea surface temperature 4
10.30 – 11.30
MCT 5
11.50 – 12.50
Sea surface temperature

23. NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE SYSTEM
(NPOESS)
NPOESS ESTABLISHED IN 1994 TO CONVERGE DMSP AND NOAA PROGRAMME AS SINGLE NATIONAL PROGRAMME
WILL GIVE CONTINUITY TO THE CURRENT GLOBAL OBSERVATION WITH IMPROVED INSTRUMENTS
FIRST OF THE SERIES (NPOESS C1) TO BE LAUNCHED ON OCTOBER 2009

24. US POLAR MET SAT SCHEDULE
NOAA-16 - Launched September 21, Afternoon orbit
NOAA-17 - Launched June 24, Mid-morning orbit
NOAA-18 – May 20, 2005 NPOESS Preparatory Project - October 31, 2006 NOAA-N' pending repairs NPOESS C1 - October 2009 NPOESS C2 - October 2010 NPOESS C3 - October 2011 NPOESS C4 - June 2013 NPOESS C5 June 2016 NPOESS C6 June 2018

25. US GEOSYNCHRONOUS MET SATELLITE
SPIN SCAN CLOUD CAMERA ON ATS-1 (6 DEC 1966)
0.475 – 0.63 m; Res: 3.6 km
Spin produced E-W Scan
Optical axis stepping gives N-S scan
Only visible channel
Imaging time 20 mts; retrace 10 mts
MULTI-COLOUR SPIN SCAN CLOUD CAMERA ON ATS-3 (5 NOV 1967)
0.38 – 0.48, 0.48 – 0.58, 0.55 – 0.63 m; 3 –6 km
Colour Imaging through Filter wheel
GVHRR ON ATS-6 (……………)
First 3-axis stabilised satellite at geo-synchronous orbit
First IR imaging from geo-synchronous orbit
VIS 4 km IR 8 km resolution

26. SYNCHRONOUS METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITES
(SMS)
NASA developed the new system
SMS1 launched in May 1974 and SMS-2 in February 1975
Visible IR Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR)
Visible – 0.55 – 0.75 m ( 0.9km) IR – 10.5 – 12.6 m ( 9km)
Satellite spins at 100 rpm; W-E scanning

27. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)
Operational Geo Met Satellites managed by NOAA
GOES-1 launched in October 1975
GOES-1 to GOES-3 carried VISRR
0.5 – 0.7 m (.9 km)
10.5 – 12.6 m (9 km)
GOES-4 (Sept 1980) to GOES-7 (Feb 1987) carried VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS)
Both imaging & sounding in one instrument
Only one function at a time
Imager resolution (1km/7km)
Sounder resolution (14km)
Full earth disc imaging every 30 mts
Major limitation simultaneous imaging and sounding not possible
Two GOES satellites are positioned  135 W longitude (GOES-WEST) to cover USA

28. GOES I-M (8-12) GOES-8 (April, 1994) - First 3-axis Stabilised GOES
Independent Imager and Sounder
Five Channel Imager
Channel No.
Satellite (GOES)
Wave length (m)
Detector
Objective
Resolution (km) 1
I,J,K,L,M
Silicon
Day cloud cover 2
I,J,K,L.M
InSb
Night time cloud 4 3
I,J,K,L M
MCT
Water vapour
Cloud cover 8
SST/Cloud cover 5
*19 channel sounder, IGFOV  10 km

29. GOES DESIGNATION PHILOSOPHY
DURING NASA'S CONSTRUCTION AND LAUNCH PHASES, THE
SATELLITES HAVE ALPHABETICAL DESIGNATIONS: GOES-I,
GOES-J, ETC..
ONCE THE SATELLITES ARE SAFELY LAUNCHED AND
DEPLOYED, THEY GET A SERIAL NUMBER IN ORBIT:
GOES-I became GOES-8
GOES-J became - GOES 9
GOES-K became - GOES 10
GOES-L became GOES -11
GOES-M became GOES -12
GOES-N became - GOES 13
GOES-O to become - GOES 14
GOES-P to become - GOES 15
GOES-Q not contracted
GOES-R to be a new generation

30. US GEO METSAT SCHEDULE GOES-M(12) - Launched July 23, 2001
GOES-N(13) – Launched May-24, 2006 GOES July 2007 GOES-P October 2008 GOES-Q Cancelled GOES-R April 2012

31. METEOSAT Meteosat 1 23.11.1977 Meteosat 2 19.06.1981 Meteosat 3
SATELLITE
LAUNCH DATE
Meteosat 1
Meteosat 2
Meteosat 3
Meteosat 4 (MOP 1)
Meteosat 5 (MOP 2)
Meteosat 6 (MOP 3)
Meteosat 7 (MTP)
Meteosat 8 MSG-1
Meteosat 9 MSG-2

32. VISSR ON GMS (JAPAN)
THE VISIBLE AND INFRARED SPIN SCAN RADIOMETER (VISSR) IS OPERATED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GMS-5 SATELLITE SYSTEM. IMAGING IS PERFORMED SYNCHRONOUSLY WITH THE SPINNING OF THE SPACECRAFT AT 100RPM DURING EACH ROTATION OF THE SPACECRAFT, THE VISSR SCANS ONE LINE ON THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH.
FOR THE NEXT SPIN PERIOD, THE TELESCOPE IS MOVED ONE STEP ALONG THE NORTH-SOUTH AXIS SO THAT THE INSTRUMENT CAN SCAN THE NEXT LINE.
IN THIS WAY IT TAKES 25 MINUTES TO BUILD A FULL DISC IMAGE.
THE IMAGING PIXEL SIZE AT THE SUBSATELLITE POINT IS ABOUT 5 KM FOR EACH OF THE THREE INFRARED SENSORS AND 1.25 KM FOR THE SET OF FOUR IDENTICAL VIS SENSORS.
THE VISSR ON GMS-5 HAS BEEN IMPROVED COMPARED WITH EARLIER MODELS.
THERE ARE NOW TWO IR DETECTORS FOR THE ATMOSPHERIC WINDOW (THE SO-CALLED "SPLIT-WINDOW"), TO GIVE BETTER ATMOSPHERIC CORRECTIONS, AS WELL AS A DETECTOR FOR THE WATER VAPOUR ABSORPTION BAND.
IN ADDITION, FOR THE VIS DETECTORS, SILICON PHOTODIODES HAVE REPLACED THE ORIGINAL PHOTO-MULTIPLIER TUBES. THE NEW SENSORS ARE MORE STABLE OVER TEMPERATURE, AND ARE INSTALLED IN REDUNDANT PAIRS TO ENSURE HIGH RELIABILITY.
THE OUTPUTS OF THE VIS AND IR DETECTORS ARE QUANTISED INTO 64 LEVELS (6 BITS) AND 256 LEVELS (8 BITS) RESPECTIVELY, AND TRANSMITTED TO THE EARTH AS RAW VISSR DATA.

33. FUTURE JAPANESE MISSION
PARAMETER
MTSAT-1R Requirement
JAMI Design Value
Spectral Channels
Visible: 0.55 m to 0.75 – 0.90 m
IR1: 10.3 m to 11.3 m
IR2: 11.5 m to 12.5 m
IR3: 6.5 m to 7.0 m
IR4: 3.5 – 3.8 m to 4.0 m
Visible: 0.55 m to 0.90 m
IR4: 3.5 m to 4.0 m
Collected Image Data Ground Resolution
Design Dependant
0.5 km (visible), 2 km (infrared)
Observation Data Ground Resolution
1.25 km (visible), 5.0 km (infrared)
1.0 km (visible), 4.0 km (infrared0
MTF (Visible) at rad-1 at Digitizer
>0.30
0.60
Field of View
0.209 deg per swath
Image Frame
17.6 deg (N-S) by 17.6 deg (E-W)
21.4 deg (N-S) by 23.6 deg (E-W)
Detector Array Lengths
336 (visible), 84 (infrared)
Detector Operating Temperatures
Ambient (visible) 75 K (R)
Full Disk Coverage Time
<30 min
<24 min
Calibration Accuracy (One Observation)
2.5% (visible)
0.21K (IR at 300K)
0.10 (IR at 220 K)
0.08 – 0.16 K (IR at 300K)
0.08 – 0.10 K (IR at 220 K)
JAMI meets MTSAT-IR performance requirements with significant margin in all areas

34. METEOR-3 (RUSSIA) – ONBOARD METEOROLOGICAL EQUIPMENT
INSTRUMENT
SPECTRAL
BAND (m)
GROUND RESOLUTION (km)
SWATH WIDTH (km)
OPERATING SCHEDULE
Scanning TV-sensor with on-board data recording system for global coverage mode
0.7 x 1.4
3100
Recording, direct transmission
Scanning TV-sensor for automatic data transmission mode
1 x 2
2600
Direct transmission
IR-radiometer for global coverage and direct data transmission modes
3 x 3
Scanning 10-channel IR-radiometer
35 x 35
400

35. Geostationary Operational Meteorological Satellite (GOMS) - Russia
CHANNEL
VISIBLE
INFRARED-1
INFRARED-II (from GOMS-2)
Wavelength (m)
Resolution at sub-satellite point (km)
1.25
6.25

36. METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE PROGRAMME OF CHINA
POLAR ORBITING SATELLITES
FY 1A SEPT 1988
FY 1B SEPT 1990
901 Km SS
FY 1A & FY 1B CHARACTERISTICS
CHANNEL
WAVE LENGTH
PRIMARY USE 1
Cloud, Vegetation 2
Cloud vegetation 3
Ocean colour 4 5
Day & night imaging SST
Resolution – HRPT : 1.08 Km
APT : 4.0 Km
Swath : 2,860 Km

37. METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE PROGRAMME OF CHINA (Contd.)
FY 1C launched May 1999 (orbit 847 x 869 km)
FY 1D launched May 2002 (orbit 851 x 871 km)
The wavelengths of MVISR of FY-1C
CHANNEL No.
WAVE LENGTH (m)
PRIMARY USE 1
Daytime cloud, ice and snow cover 2
Daytime cloud, vegetation, water 3
Head source, night cloud 4
SST, day/night cloud 5 6
Soil humidity, ice/snow distinguishing 7
Ocean colour 8 9 10
Water vapour
Resolution at sub-point: 1.1 Km
Quantization: 10 bits/word
Swath : Km

38. GEOSTATIONARY MET SATELLITE OF CHINA
FY 2A - launched June FY 2B – launched June FY 2C
The Characteristics of Channels of VISSR
FY-2 A, B
FY-2 C, D, E
Vis IR WV
IR1
IR2
IR3
Wavelength (m)
Spatial resolution (km)
1.44
5.76
1.25 5
Temperature resolution
S/N 6.5(2.5%)
0.6K
1.0K
S/N 1.5 (0.5%) K K K
Number of detectors
4 + 4
1(main) +
1(alternate)
1(main) + 1(alternate)
Quantizing level 64
256
1024

39. INSAT
First multifunction operational system to combine communication and meteorological functions in a single spacecraft.
More cost-effective
Complex design
First operational three-axis stabilized geo-stationary Metsat
Imaging instrument continuously oriented towards earth
Compact instrument
Bi-axial scanning
Complex thermal management

40. INSAT First generation INSAT (INSAT-1 series)
Carried Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR)
Visible Band: km
Thermal IR Band: 11 km
Last of the four INSAT-1 spacecraft launched in June 1990
Second generation INSAT developed indigenously with improved resolution and additional bands.
Continuing Series of Meteorological Instruments
VHRR with
Visible Band: 2 km
Thermal and WV IR Bands: 8 km
CCD Based Payload with
Visible, NIR and SWIR Bands: 1 km

42. INDIAN NATIONAL SATELLITE (INSAT) FOR METEOROLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
PAST AND PRESENT
INSAT -1 : Geostationary Satellite Series

43. INSAT -2 : Geostationary Satellite Series

44. INSAT-3A & Kalpana-1 Location : INSAT 3A : 93.5ºE Kalpana-1 : 74ºE
(2003) (2002)
Location : INSAT 3A : 93.5ºE
Kalpana-1 : 74ºE
Payload : (i) VHRR & CCD camera in INSAT 3A
(ii) VHRR in Kalpana-1
VHRR Bands (µm)
Visible : – 0.75
Water vapour : – 7.10
Thermal Infra Red : – 12.5
Resolution (km) : 2 X 2 for Visible
8 X 8 for WV & TIR
CCD Camera Bands (µm)
Visible : – 0.68
Near Infra Red : – 0.86
Short Wave Infra Red : – 1.69
Resolution (km) : 1 X 1 for all bands

45. Sensors

46. Major Specifications Three Band CCD Payload
Spectral Bands (µm)
Visible : 0.62 – 0.68
Near Infra Red : 0.77– 0.86
Short Wave Infra Red : 1.55 – 1.69
Resolution (km)
Visible : 1 x 1
Near Infra Red : 1 x 1
Short Wave Infra Red : 1 x 1
Modulation Transfer Function
Visible :  0.21
Near Infra Red :  0.21
Short Wave Infra Red :  0.21
Dynamic Range
Visible : 0 – 52 mw/cm2/sr/µm
Near Infra Red : 0 – 35 mw/cm2/sr/µm 100% albedo
Short Wave Infra Red : 0 – 6.5 mw/cm2/sr/µm
Cont…

47. INSAT-3D Met Payloads INSAT-3D to carry: Six Channel Imager:
Channel Resolution
0.52 – 0.72 µm : 1 km
1.55 – 1.70 µm : 1 km
3.80 – 4.00 µm : 4 km
6.50 – 7.00 µm : 8 km
10.2 – 11.2 µm : 4 km
11.5 – 12.5 µm : 4 km
Nineteen Channel IR Sounder (10 km resolution)
Shortwave IR (3.74 – 4.57 µm) : Six Channels
Midwave IR (6.51 – 9.71 µm) : Six Channels
Longwave IR (11.03 – µm) : Six Channels
Visible IR (0.67 – 0.72 µm) : Six Channels