Weather System Follow-on Microwave
The Weather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) Satellite is the United States Department of Defense's next-generation operational environmental satellite system. WSF-M will be a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite with a passive microwave imaging radiometer instrument and hosted furnished Energetic Charged Particle (ECP) sensor.[1] The Air Force intends to include ECP sensors on all future satellites for space weather monitoring, starting from the early 2020s.[2] WSF-M is currently contracted for launch in 2023.[3][4]
WSF-M will be the first satellite in the Weather System Follow-on (WSF) program. Following the cancellation of the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), the Air Force pursued development of a new weather satellite under the Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS) program. However, when that system faced delays and funding issues, the White House cancelled it and instituted the WSF program.[5]
WSF-M is designed to mitigate three high priority DOD Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) gaps: ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity and LEO energetic charged particles.[1]
References
- Russell, Kendall (30 November 2017). "Ball Aerospace Wins Air Force Contract for New Weather Satellite". www.satellitetoday.com. Via Satellite. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
- Werner, Debra (March 6, 2019). "Are small satellites the solution for space weather monitoring?". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
- Bourassa, M.A.; et al. (23 August 2019). "Remotely Sensed Winds and Wind Stresses for Marine Forecasting and Ocean Modeling". Frontiers in Marine Science. 6: 443. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00443. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
The first of two planned sensors will launch in 2023.
- Foust, Jeff (8 March 2019). "GAO takes weather satellite program off watch list". SpaceNews. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- "USAF Weather Satellite Program in Disarray". defense-aerospace.com. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.