Next Generation Weather Satellites - Research Paper Example

? Next Generation Weather Satellites Lecturer Weather satellites are being manufactured consistently in order to assist in measuringthe elements of weather, but with advanced technology, older models are turning out to be heavily flawed although usable still. With these technological advancements, next generation weather satellites are in production, while others are still in the design process for maximum efficiency and reliability possible, as well as operational life. As a result, there is a need to look at the next generational weather satellites based on their design and technological features onboard that are used for weather forecasting and planning purposes. The design of next generation weather satellites is dependent on a number of aspects, of which the cost of production is one, and this plays a crucial role in determining how soon these systems can be operational. As such, the cost of facilitating the creation of next generation weather satellites is high and therefore requires a large amount of capital. This is following the steps used in the design of different technologies used in this heavy equipment in that there are the design fees, the fees and the purchase of different technologies and patents required to come up with the complete product ready for launch to conduct its part on the weather. Current programs in this venture of producing next generation weather satellites have faced significant constraints from financial pressure and shortcomings, where most of the projects to produce them have overrun their budgets. The main reason for this lies with the fact that the components required to produce a single satellite are not required en masse, but are instead procured from different manufacturers, which makes the price high due to poor economies of scale based on wholesale and retail prices (Altium, 2012). Single components cost more than bulk component sales, thus there is need to consider the pricing in the designing of the next generation weather satellites based on price, where in spite of the high cost of design and production of the satellites, bulk production of the satellites is more viable due to lowering the cost of the components. In addition, another factor in the design of next generational weather satellites in relation to the cost is being cost effective in saving operational costs from older satellites that have been in orbit on in a geosynchronous position with earth. As such, designing these satellites based o efficiency is a feature to be considered as even current trends indicate that studies have been done to assess the role of cost effectiveness in next generation weather satellites. Costs of factoring in and using next generation satellites based on improved modern technology are lower than the current satellites in orbit considering the resolution of images captured from technically and technologically advanced features to be found in next generation satellites (Gonzalez, 1998). Considering this, designing next generation weather satellites requires production of data such as maps and tracking of weather patterns at only a fraction of the conventional cost used in traditional satellites that are already in orbit. The above consideration in designing next generation satellites ensures that the functionality of these satellites is meant to overtake the current weather satellites by cutting down on their cost of operation in relation to resolutions and photographic units to be incorporated into the equipment. This is further to translate the cost of offering access to the satellites, since there will be no need to keep analyzing the data from a third party point on the ground since all is taken care of from the satellites end. The above brings in the concept of technological inclusions in designing next generation weather satellites. In tis point, there is one key aspect to assess and analyze critically as it serves the central point in the entire satellite network for both existing and next generation. Sensors are what pick up information and pass it on for interpretation and analysis before complete information is presented to different users, which makes sensors crucial components. There are different types of sensors used in weather satellites and in next generation ones, there is need to improve and arrangements are already in place as design teams are working especially on remote sensing and mapping technology. With this, future satellites are not dependent on conventional global positioning satellites (GPS), but will use their own mapping vectors, which are then incorporated into normal GPS maps to cover for the older military navigation satellites. Mapping in this case means that next generation weather satellites will come equipped with capabilities to map objects on the ground at sub-meter level, which enhanced by a second sensor. Use of high-resolution photography incorporates modern technologies such as ultra-high definition for clear and concise images that do not require manual interpretation as automation can be done for them to be presented as already analyzed information. Remote sensing on the other hand in next generation satellites is bound to provide high quality weather data and cartographic information that defeats the kind found on conventional weather satellites as it combines both cartography and element detection using spectral resolution based on electromagnetic spectra (Gonzalez, 1998). In addition, there are plans to include radiometric resolution in the satellites, which is meant to work based on the sensitivity of the detector or sensor in relation to the variation in the strength of the signal (Gonzalez, 1998). Inclusion of this technological advancement will be done using visible and infrared imager radiometer suite (VIIRS), which brings in more information than conventional satellites since it collects both visible and infrared imagery and radiometric measurements of the land, atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans. Enhancement of imagery and photographic data can only improve, but the cost of the entire piece of equipment will increase as earlier mentioned unless there is bulk production. Data revealed by Asbury on the next generation weather satellite reveals inclusion of sophisticated equipment such as a cross-track infrared sounder that produces high resolution, three-dimensional temperature, pressure and moisture readings (Asbury, 2013). This is because when coupled with VIIRS, abilities to read both and atmospheric profiles is enhanced and it is similar to having a complete weather station all packed in a satellite, which when combined with cartographic capabilities, the conditions of specific areas can be revealed. This is again the point of remote sensing, where optical resolution are put together with infrared readings to create a complete picture of the real facts on the ground. All the above is without mentioning Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), which is an advanced composition of hyper-spectral devices and sensors that use already existing data on the ozone layer and assist in profiling it further (Asbury, 2013). The above named technologies are designed to fit in the next generation polar orbiting weather satellite, which is nominally fixed in inertial space. Moreover, there are concerns in the design for maintenance systems for the next generation weather satellites, where there is current research and prototype creation. This is based on ordinary satellite data, where maintenance is being researched on for all types of satellites including communication and weather satellites. This way, studies suggest that the next design, based on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is likely to include an in orbit maintenance system that takes care of handling failures by the in o orbit weather satellites. The above shows the amount of thought that has been attached to the weather satellite project for next generation satellites. The maintenance unit is reconfigurable based on the type of satellites it will be serving meaning that each type of satellite gets express service based on the survives it renders. In addition to maintenance, there is research on the verification of ground beacon acquisition and tracking services in order to keep up with the movements of the earth and transmission of date from next generation weather satellites and maintenance services. In addition to this, there is the earlier mentioned concept of remote sensing that makes use of different technologies included in the satellite equipment package. The above points at the lack of need for there to be staff to keep monitoring the communications and functionalities of the satellite considering that all the data are transmitted directly after analysis. In addition, there is a low cost of maintenance again since the cost of access to satellite data is low and there is little or no maintenance whatsoever to be done. Designing next generation weather satellites has considerable dependence or reliance on communication systems as all the data gathered and processed by the inboard systems of the satellites have to be sent back to earth. The reliability of laser communication is under development to be included in next generation satellites regardless of their functions in order to ensure constant stream of data and information from all satellites. This way, weather satellites have two-way communication across themselves, where laser technology to be included in future weather satellites will have large data transmission speed capacity. This is with speed of roughly 2.5 Gbps, and with communication equipment miniaturized to cater for all the other mentioned detectors and sensors as the laser communication unit comes at a size that is one third less, which is similar to its weight (Kunimori, 2004). The transmission of data from one satellite to another will be based on optics, which are laser technology, and will include tracking capabilities in order to map out exact locations of other satellites and receive data from them using mirrors. However, there are challenges with this technological design considering the existence of interference from solar flares and other extra-terrestrial light. It is with this that the satellites will come equipped with input/output fiber collimator device to ensure beam orientation control for fine acquisition (Kunimori, 2004). As a result, there will be a global network of satellites that will include both conventional satellites and next generation weather satellites with sophisticated communication infrastructure. Besides coming up with communication systems, there is need to come up with defensive measures against the destructive and disruptive elements of weather from space, when the satellites are in orbits as the current satellites have suffered considerable damage. This is in addition to disrupted data streams following radiation emanating from solar storms that affect onboard communication systems. This affects the safety of the equipment in that by disrupting communication, there is a high chance that there are errors in navigation, especially in satellites that are older and use GPS (Bennett, 2012). This way, the next generation weather satellites are designed to use enhanced cartography to map out locations and stay in orbit providing accurate data on weather patterns. In addition, there are other players in satellite technology dealing with securing next generation weather satellites in that they design and manufacture sensors to detect and protect the satellite from damage. One such sensor is the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) that serves to give warnings although it is not exclusively for weather satellites, but for general application (Reynolds, 2013). As a result, research into the safety of next generation weather satellites is at the hands of collaboration to protect all systems together including earth based systems such as power grids that are also affected by solar flares, as is the case of weather satellites that have sensitive detectors. Design and technology needs to look at the accuracy of the information that next generation weather satellites transmit to base stations, as there is room for error in the current ones. With age, the quality of information deteriorates as the sensors and communication devices in them age and become outdated. As a result, the accuracy of next generation weather satellites is designed to be precise so that information collected and delivered is not erroneous and when it is, it is in an acceptable margin. The key issue in accuracy points towards accuracy of weather forecasts where the satellites are aligned to detect weather patterns such as the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, accuracy of weather satellites in forecasting weather is usually low due to the lack of ground sensors to corroborate the data. However, designing next generation satellites with highly sensitive detectors allows for accurate weather readings for the future based on a five-day forecast where chances of occurrences are higher than 85% as compared to previous satellites (Bennett, 2012). This is especially so for polar orbit satellites, where they do fourteen passes over their respective hemispheres every 24 hours (Asbury, 2013). To improve accuracy, the range of these satellites is under improvement so that they are in higher inertial position to cover accurately large areas, and to work with satellites through laser communication in delivery of accurate results for forecasts (Bennett, 2012). In addition to communication factors, next generation designs require systems that process data onboard, as earlier mentioned in order to take care of latency. Latency here refers to the time that lapses from the time data is collected to the moment that it is made available after processing to the people on the ground for use in forecasting and planning issues. This further determines accuracy considering that the data needs to be available based on the number of passes that a satellite makes over the earth every day. In addition, life expectancy considerations are being made in accordance to next generation satellites, where the expected time a satellite is expected to function is known as its operational life time. Based on current weather satellites, there are many cases of coverage gaps, where satellites cease functioning unexpectedly, but with diagnostic information, operators send new satellites before the satellites stop functioning. However, for next generation weather satellites, they are being sent as replacements in advance so that they can be calibrated in advance before the one’s in orbit stop functioning. Next generation weather satellites have a higher life expectancy compared to the currently operational ones due to protective features meant to protect them from adverse conditions found in space when the satellites are in orbit. These include radiation and solar flares and are expected to last for over fifteen years from launch as compared to those that were launched earlier into orbit and not activated. Next generation weather satellites function on a basis of launch and turn on for calibration and immediate operations so that there are no failures in transmissions and activations. However, there are questions of efficiency in their life expectancy when satellites are launched as soon the old ones fail since it implies that the replacements need to be manufactured and stored long before the failure, and it is still unknown what the impact of storage is. As a result, there is still chance for coverage gaps and high costs sine in storage, they must be serviced since they are not required immediately. In conclusion, next generation weather satellites that are already in production have highly sophisticated systems for detecting changes inn weather and providing data for processing, as well as processing it. This result is in accurate weather forecasts and depending on the protective measures taken by different manufacturers, future next generation satellites have the potential to have a long operational life span with different components onboard that allow for cheap maintenance. In addition, communication is well planned for in these satellites for the future to create a satellite network based on optical communication for high reliability. References Bennett, M. (2012). Options for Modernizing Military Weather Satellites. Retrieved from http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/09-20-WeatherSatellites.pdf Kunimori, H. (2004). Next-Generation Satellite Laser Communications System. Retrieved from http://www.nict.go.jp/en/4otfsk000000wueu-att/NICT_200412DEC_E.pdf Asbury, S. (2013). Building the Nation’s Next Generation Operational Polar Orbiting Polar-Orbiting Weather Satellite. Retrieved from https://ams.confex.com/ams/93Annual/webprogram/Handout/Paper223892/Asbury%20AMS%202013%20JPSS%20Spacecraft%20Poster.pdf Altium (2012). Altium Designer Boosts Small Satellite Design Productivity to New Height. Retrieved from http://www.altium.com/resources/customer_success/Penn_State_EN.pdf Gonzalez, A. (1998). Horizontal accuracy Assessment of the /new Generation of High Resolution Satellite Imagery for Mapping Purposes. Retrieved from http://shoreline.eng.ohio-state.edu/publications/gonzalez_thesis.pdf Reynolds, C. (2013). ITT Exelis to design advanced receiver for next-generation weather satellite. Retrieved from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/itt-exelis-design-advanced-receiver-143000874.html Read More