Weather System Follow-on Microwave-1
NamesWSF-M1
Mission typeSpace weather
OperatorUSSF
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerBall Aerospace & Technologies
Start of mission
Launch date2024 (planned)[1]
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5
Launch siteCCSFS or Kennedy
ContractorSpaceX
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeSun-synchronous orbit
Instruments
Microwave imaging radiometer
Weather System Follow-on Microwave program
 

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 Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite with a passive microwave imaging radiometer instrument and hosted furnished Energetic Charged Particle (ECP) sensor.[2][3] The Air Force Space Command intends to include ECP sensors on all future satellites for space weather monitoring, starting from the early 2020s.[4] WSF-M is currently contracted for launch in 2024 on a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket.[1]

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 continued the development of a weather satellite under the Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS) program based on NPOESS. 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 U.S. DoD Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) gaps: ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity and LEO energetic charged particles.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 @USSF_SSC (26 May 2022). "SSC ordered 8 National Security Space Launch missions from our industry partners ULA & SpaceX for launch in 2024 for #SpaceForce" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ "WSF-M (Weather System Follow-on - Microwave) Satellite". eoPortal. ESA. March 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 Russell, Kendall (30 November 2017). "Ball Aerospace Wins Air Force Contract for New Weather Satellite". Satellite Today. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Werner, Debra (6 March 2019). "Are small satellites the solution for space weather monitoring?". SpaceNews. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "USAF Weather Satellite Program in Disarray". defense-aerospace.com. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
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