Compact Terrestrial Weather Sensing for Small Satellites and Hosted Payload Applications

Compact Terrestrial Weather Sensing for Small Satellites and Hosted Payload Applications

Commercial space activities that utilize large space-based constellations provide a new and cost effective opportunity to acquire multi-point observations. Previously, a custom designed space-based constellation, while technically feasible, would require a substantial monetary investment. However, commercial industry has now been entertaining the concept of hosting payloads on their space-based constellations resulting in low-cost access to space. Examples include the low Earth orbit Iridium Next constellation as well as communication satellites in geostationary orbit. In some of these constellations, data distribution can be provided in real time, a feature relevant to applications in the areas of space weather and disaster monitoring. Future small-satellite constellations and hosting on commercial satellite constellations also provide outstanding opportunities for Earth remote sensing applications. In particular, we consider multi-spectral weather sensors to address gaps in future terrestrial weather needs. We will present concepts for weather sensors that are very compact, low mass, and low power, and so they can easily be accommodated on micro-satellites and hosted payloads. In this construct, compact weather sensors enable a cost effective solution to terrestrial weather requirements using small satellite or hosted payloads.