Jacques van Oene
May 26th 05, 07:20 PM
Launch of state-of-the-art microwave sounder heralds new era in global
weather forecasting
May 20th, 2005
A new era in global meteorological forecasting begins today with the launch
of the first of five EADS Astrium state-of-the-art microwave humidity
sounder (MHS) instruments on board the US polar orbiting satellite NOAA-N.
The microwave humidity sounders will form part of the instrument suite on
three European (METOP) spacecraft and two US (NOAA) spacecraft being
launched, between 2005 and 2015.
Designed and assembled in the UK by EADS Astrium, following the contract
award from EUMETSAT, the humidity sounders scan the Earth's atmosphere to
measure emitted radiation in various spectra bands and from this can
determine the water vapour content (clouds, precipitation, humidity) at
various altitudes. The increased quality and accuracy of the data from the
MHS instruments will mark a new era in global weather monitoring and
forecasting.
Data from the MHS instruments will be provided to several meteorological
organisations across the world (UK Met Office, Meteo France and USA National
Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration NOAA), significantly enhancing their
databases and enabling more accurate weather forecasting. MHS represents a
major improvement over the AMSU-B radiometer on board previous NOAA
satellites, whilst providing data continuity.
Each MHS instrument weighs 63 kg and occupies only a 0.8 metre cube on the
spacecraft. By adopting a common suite of Instruments on both sets of
spacecraft, data utilisation is vastly simplified. With the launch of
NOAA-N, global weather monitoring will be shared by Europe (EUMETSAT) and
the USA (NOAA).
EADS Astrium, with its experience and expertise in microwave radiometry
undertook the overall instrument design, final assembly and testing in
Portsmouth, UK; the receiver and electronics in Vélizy and Toulouse, France;
the scan mechanism in Friedrichshafen, Germany and the Q-band source
oscillators in Stevenage, UK.
EADS Astrium is Europe's leading satellite specialist. Its activities cover
complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation
systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and
equipment.
EADS Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS SPACE, which is dedicated
to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2004, EADS SPACE had a
turnover of ?2.6 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United
Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004,
EADS generated revenues of ?31.8 billion and employed a workforce of more
than 110,000.
For more information, please go to www.space.eads.net
Notes to Editors:
The MHS Instrument is a five channel self-calibrating microwave rotating
radiometer that scans the Earth's surface, detecting and processing incident
radiation to provide a measurement of total power in each of 5 channels.
These channels, ranging from 89 - 190 GHz, provide information on surface
temperature and emissivity (in conjunction with AMSU-A channels) and can
detect cloud and precipitation (humidity) at various altitudes.
Channels at 157 GHz and around 183 GHz provide humidity profile sounding
capability, while the 89 GHz channel provides information on surface
temperature and emissivity, and detects clouds/precipitation.
Five flight instruments have been built for EUMETSAT. Two instruments will
fly on USA NOAA spacecraft (launches expected between 2005/8). Three
instruments will fly on European METOP Spacecraft (launches expected
2006/10/15). NOAA spacecraft will provide global weather coverage from an
afternoon orbit, while METOP spacecraft will provide global weather coverage
from a morning orbit.
EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological
Satellites, is an intergovernmental organisation that establishes and
maintains operational meteorological satellites for 18 European states.
Contacts:
Rémi ROLAND
EADS SPACE (FR)Tel: +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34
Alistair Scott
EADS SPACE (UK)Tel: +44 (0) 1438 77 3698
Mathias PIKELJ
EADS SPACE (GER)Tel: +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
Hendrik Thielemann
(GER)Tel: +49 (0) 89 607 2 72 44
Francisco LECHÓN
EADS SPACE (E)Tel: +34 (0) 91 586 37 41
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
weather forecasting
May 20th, 2005
A new era in global meteorological forecasting begins today with the launch
of the first of five EADS Astrium state-of-the-art microwave humidity
sounder (MHS) instruments on board the US polar orbiting satellite NOAA-N.
The microwave humidity sounders will form part of the instrument suite on
three European (METOP) spacecraft and two US (NOAA) spacecraft being
launched, between 2005 and 2015.
Designed and assembled in the UK by EADS Astrium, following the contract
award from EUMETSAT, the humidity sounders scan the Earth's atmosphere to
measure emitted radiation in various spectra bands and from this can
determine the water vapour content (clouds, precipitation, humidity) at
various altitudes. The increased quality and accuracy of the data from the
MHS instruments will mark a new era in global weather monitoring and
forecasting.
Data from the MHS instruments will be provided to several meteorological
organisations across the world (UK Met Office, Meteo France and USA National
Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration NOAA), significantly enhancing their
databases and enabling more accurate weather forecasting. MHS represents a
major improvement over the AMSU-B radiometer on board previous NOAA
satellites, whilst providing data continuity.
Each MHS instrument weighs 63 kg and occupies only a 0.8 metre cube on the
spacecraft. By adopting a common suite of Instruments on both sets of
spacecraft, data utilisation is vastly simplified. With the launch of
NOAA-N, global weather monitoring will be shared by Europe (EUMETSAT) and
the USA (NOAA).
EADS Astrium, with its experience and expertise in microwave radiometry
undertook the overall instrument design, final assembly and testing in
Portsmouth, UK; the receiver and electronics in Vélizy and Toulouse, France;
the scan mechanism in Friedrichshafen, Germany and the Q-band source
oscillators in Stevenage, UK.
EADS Astrium is Europe's leading satellite specialist. Its activities cover
complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation
systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and
equipment.
EADS Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS SPACE, which is dedicated
to providing civil and defence space systems. In 2004, EADS SPACE had a
turnover of ?2.6 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United
Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004,
EADS generated revenues of ?31.8 billion and employed a workforce of more
than 110,000.
For more information, please go to www.space.eads.net
Notes to Editors:
The MHS Instrument is a five channel self-calibrating microwave rotating
radiometer that scans the Earth's surface, detecting and processing incident
radiation to provide a measurement of total power in each of 5 channels.
These channels, ranging from 89 - 190 GHz, provide information on surface
temperature and emissivity (in conjunction with AMSU-A channels) and can
detect cloud and precipitation (humidity) at various altitudes.
Channels at 157 GHz and around 183 GHz provide humidity profile sounding
capability, while the 89 GHz channel provides information on surface
temperature and emissivity, and detects clouds/precipitation.
Five flight instruments have been built for EUMETSAT. Two instruments will
fly on USA NOAA spacecraft (launches expected between 2005/8). Three
instruments will fly on European METOP Spacecraft (launches expected
2006/10/15). NOAA spacecraft will provide global weather coverage from an
afternoon orbit, while METOP spacecraft will provide global weather coverage
from a morning orbit.
EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological
Satellites, is an intergovernmental organisation that establishes and
maintains operational meteorological satellites for 18 European states.
Contacts:
Rémi ROLAND
EADS SPACE (FR)Tel: +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34
Alistair Scott
EADS SPACE (UK)Tel: +44 (0) 1438 77 3698
Mathias PIKELJ
EADS SPACE (GER)Tel: +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
Hendrik Thielemann
(GER)Tel: +49 (0) 89 607 2 72 44
Francisco LECHÓN
EADS SPACE (E)Tel: +34 (0) 91 586 37 41
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info