TRMM
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission
The volume of rainfall in the tropics accounts for about two-thirds of total
rainfall on the earth. Acting as the "engine" of the atmospheric cycle, this
rainfall has a major influence on climate formation on a global scale. TRMM is
a satellite that will measure the amount and distribution of rainfall in
tropical and meta-tropical areas. Remote sensing of rainfall by the satellite
will make a major contribution in predicting climatic changes on a global
scale, providing long-range predictions on abnormal weather created by the E1
Nino phenomenon, and helping to prevent natural disasters.
TRMM is a joint project of Japan and the United States. It is worth $512
million
The mission is to be shutdown in 2005 because of budget costs. A safe and
controlled reentry is then planned. It ran out of fuel in Jul 2014 and a safe
drift down is being monitored and observation maintained till 350 km.
Out
of service
|
8
Apr 2015
|
Cause
|
Science
payload switched off, depleted fuel reserves
|
Decay
|
16
Jun 2015
|
http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://www.jaxa.jp/missions/projects/sat/eos/trmm/index_e.html
sat-index articles
Prime
contractor
|
NASA
GSFC
|
Platform
|
|
Mass
at launch
|
3820
kg
|
Mass
in orbit
|
|
Dimension
|
|
Solar
array
|
|
Stabilization
|
|
DC
power
|
|
Design
lifetime
|
3
years
|
Acquisition via
TDRS
Telemetry/Data: 2255.5 MHz (upto 2 Mbps)
Command: 2076.94 MHz (500 or 1024 bps)
PR: Precipitation Radar (Ku-band)
TMI: TRMM Microwave Imager
VIRS: Visible and Infrared Scanner
CERES: Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System
LIS: Lightning Imaging Sensor
The CERES instrument (TRW-built) is the first of a series of 6 to fly. CERES is
a scanning broadband radiometer that measures reflected sunlight and emitted
thermal energy from the surface of the Earth and the atmosphere. The radiometer
is made up of three sensors, each with its own telescope mounted on a gimballed
platform that continuously scans across the Earth in a 6.6-second cycle.