| Instrument | Main characteristics | Heritage |
| AVHRR |
6-channel
visible/IR imager (0.6 - 12 µm) swath 2000 km, 1 x 1 km resolution | TIROS/POES |
| HIRS |
20-channel
optical/IR radiometer swath 2000 km, IFOV 17.4 km | TIROS/POES |
| AMSU-A1/A2 |
15-channel
radiometer (50 GHz oxygen absorption) swath 2000 km, IFOV 30 km | TIROS/POES |
| MHS |
5-channel
quasi-optical radiometer (190 GHz for water-vapor + 89 GHz for surface
emissivity) swath 2000 km, IFOC 30 km | TIROS/POES |
| IASI |
Fourier-transform
spectrometer (water-vapor sounding) swath 2000 km Built by Alcatel Space | New |
| ASCAT |
C-band
radar scatterometer (surface-wind vectors) swath: 2 x 500 km | ERS 1/2 AMI |
| GOME-2 |
Scanning
spectrometer (ozone) swath: 960 or 1920 km | ERS 2 GOME-1 |
| GRAS | temperature and humidity sounding | GPS/MET |