Extended Abstract (144K)3.2
The Conical Microwave Imager/Sounder (CMIS): Next-Generation Conical-Scanning Microwave Radiometer for NPOESS
James J. Jewell, U.S. Air Force and NOAA/NPOESS/Integrated Program Office, Silver Spring, MD; and N. Chauhan and D. B. Kunkee
The NPOESS/IPO (National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System/Integrated Program Office) is currently developing the next-generation Conical Microwave Imager/Sounder (CMIS). CMIS will replace the current Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and its follow-on, the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS). The first CMIS launch is currently scheduled for early 2009. In this paper, we will discuss the CMIS sensor design and development, its capability, and benefits to the operational and scientific communities.
CMIS will have a nominal reflector size of ~2 meters, a data rate of ~500 kb/s, a mass of ~275 kg and will require ~340 W of power. CMIS is the largest sensor planned for the NPOESS spacecraft, and considerably larger than any of its heritage sensors. The sensor design has evolved over the past 3 years during the risk reduction phase in which Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation (BATC) and Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) have independently developed a CMIS design. One of these two designs will be selected in the immediate future to continue development into the next phase of the program.
CMIS will provide improvement over heritage sensors in many aspects. It will provide improvements in resolution, measurement accuracy and precision, and reliability. A total of 20 Environmental Data Records (EDRs) are required from CMIS, including Sea Surface Wind Direction and Soil Moisture. These EDRs have not previously been produced by an operational microwave radiometer.
In order reduce the risk associated with the generation of these two new EDRs, the IPO is directly involved with the Naval Research Laboratory's WindSAT/Coreolis program and is also following the AMSR algorithm developments. The launch of SSMIS and the ensuing Calibration/Validation activities are also expected to aid the development of the CMIS design and algorithms.
The critical subsystems within CMIS will have a minimum reliability of 0.86 for the mission duration. This includes 8 years of storage and a minimum of 7 years on orbit. Further details of the CMIS sensor design including details of the receiver and antenna subsystems along with deployment and calibration aspects will be discussed at the presentation.
Session 3, Advances in Satellite Observing
Tuesday, 15 January 2002, 8:30 AM-12:00 PM
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