Remote Sensing Payloads Aboard NOAA-N Prime Weather Satellite

The satellite is the last in the Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) series of NOAA weather satellites that have been serving the nation since 1960. Once fully operational, NOAA-N Prime will provide continued service to collect Earth's weather data regarding atmosphere, surface and cloud cover.

The HIRS/4 is used to obtain measurements determining ocean surface temperatures, total atmospheric ozone levels, cloud height and coverage, and surface radiance. This fourth generation HIRS is a 20-channel sounder that provides improvements over its predecessors with the inclusion of a fifth Internal Warm Target (IWT) temperature sensor and the addition of a tertiary telescope sensor with capabilities to calibrate atmospheric profile data and radiometric data at 40 different atmospheric levels.

The AVHRR/3 is recognised as the operational imager for global weather data. The AVHRR/3 is a six multi-spectral channel radiometer, up from a four-channel in its original form.  The additional channels have contributed to improvements in performance and operational capabilities, as well as improved spectral performance such as low light energy detection, snow/ice discrimination and global vegetation index. ITT Space Systems Division developed this third generation AVHRR for NOAA-15, launched in May 1998. The system is also on board MetOP-1, Europe's first meteorological operational polar orbiting satellite.