| Names | WSF-M |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Space weather |
| Operator | USSF |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-070A |
| SATCATno. | 59481 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Ball Aerospace & Technologies |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 11 April 2024, 14:25 UTC (WSF-M1)[1][2] 2027 (WSF-M2) |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg,SLC-4E |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Instruments | |
| Microwave imaging radiometer | |
← DMSP | |
TheWeather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) satellite is theUnited States Department of Defense's next-generation operationalenvironmental satellite system. WSF-M will be aSun-synchronouslow Earth orbit (LEO) satellite with a passivemicrowave imaging radiometer instrument and hosted furnished Energetic Charged Particle (ECP) sensor.[3][4]Space Operations Command intends to include ECP sensors on all future satellites forspace weather monitoring, starting from the early 2020s.[5]
WSF-M is the first satellite in the Weather System Follow-on (WSF) program. Following the cancellation of theNational Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), the Air Force continued the development of a weather satellite under theDefense Weather Satellite System (DWSS) program based onNPOESS. However, when that system faced delays and funding issues, the White House cancelled it and instituted the WSF program.[6]
WSF-M is designed to mitigate three high priority U.S. DoD Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) gaps: ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity and LEO energetic charged particles.[4]
| Names | WSF-M1 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Space weather |
| Operator | USSF |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-070A |
| SATCATno. | 59481 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Ball Aerospace & Technologies |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 11 April 2024, 14:25 UTC[1][2] |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 Cargo |
| Launch site | Vandenberg |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Instruments | |
| Microwave imaging radiometer | |
WSF-M1 was launched in April 2024 on aFalcon 9 Block 5 rocket fromVandenberg Space Force Base.[1][2]
| Names | WSF-M2 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Space weather |
| Operator | USSF |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-070A |
| SATCATno. | 59481 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Ball Aerospace & Technologies |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2027[1][2] |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Instruments | |
| Microwave imaging radiometer | |
← WSF-M1 | |
