A High Data Rate Ka Band Global Network For Weather
Abstract
The United States Air Force Weather operates globally to collect observations of atmospheric conditions. Instruments include human observers, weather satellites, and weather radars. A new era is forthcoming in the domain of weather satellites, as satellite sensors are improved and additional weather satellites are launched by China, Japan, and others. The United States is integrating its civilian and military weather satellites but the Defense Meteorological satellite (DMSP) and national civilian satellites will both continue in use for a decade or more. Sensor improvements in the DMSP will increase the number of optical channels while also increasing sample quantization from 8 to 12bits. Prior operation emphasized storing imagery and dumping the data from a full orbit at one earth station. A small tactical terminal (STT) has been developed to allow receipt of the satellite real-time downlink at any geographic location. Thus, with a suitably dispersed group of STTs, data can be collected in near real time on a global basis. Although it may not seem significant, it is highly desirable to retrieve and make use of all satellite data in near real time. An example of the need for timely data is in the case of tropical storms, where timely data can increase warning time in case of a tornado,hurricane or typhoon. Weather touches all lives, but can be of critical importance in military operations. The U.S. Air Force has had an operational requirement for retrieval of global data within 15 minutes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1108121
Entities
People
- William T. Brandon
Organizations
- MITRE Corporation