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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. 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.

9. 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: min
Orbits not equatorial; not polar.

10. First image returned by TIROS

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

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

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

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

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

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

17. TIROS Mosaic Image

18. NIMBUS (1964)

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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: minutes
Polar orbiters.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. DMSP (1966)

26. 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).

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

28. 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.

29. ATS
Total of 6 launched – last one in 1974.

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

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

32. 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: minutes
Polar orbiters.

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

34. 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

35. GOES (1975)

36. 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

37. 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: minutes (~1 day)
Equatorial orbiters.

38. 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)

39. FOR CURRENT STATUS OF ALL METSAT SYTEMS