Weather System Follow-on - Microwave (WSF-M) Mission Overview

The Weather System Follow-On – Microwave (WSFM) mission represents the next generation operational capability for spaceborne monitoring of key environmental parameters including ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity, sea ice age/concentration, snow water equivalent, and soil moisture. WSF-M builds upon the heritage of the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) series of instruments, operated by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument, built by Ball Aerospace, and the Naval Research Laboratory's Coriolis WindSat instrument. The WSF-M space segment consists of a high-heritage spacecraft design, a Microwave Imager (MWI) instrument, and an Energetic Charged Particles (ECP) sensor built by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The WSF-M spacecraft leverages heritage designs tailored to program payload and mission needs. The MWI is a conically scanning, fully polarimetric microwave radiometer employing a calibration design that ensures accurate and stable on-orbit brightness temperature measurements. This paper provides an overview of the Weather System Follow-on – Microwave (WSF-M) Mission including design summary of the space vehicle and microwave imager. Predicted top-level performance, design and operational challenges are discussed.