Phase one development of the NPOESS Conical-scanning Microwave Imager/Sounder (CMIS)

The Conical-scanning Microwave Imager/Sounder (CMIS) is a multi-band radiometer currently under development by the National Polar-orbiting Operational Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office and Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS). The CMIS is the follow-on for the Defense Meteorological Satellite System (DMSP) SSMIS and SSM/I conical-scanning radiometers. Two teams in competition performed the CMIS phase one (risk reduction) development. At the end of this period, in July 2001, BSS was selected to continue development of the CMIS with the first flight unit delivery scheduled for 2005 and launch in 2009. The current baseline CMIS sensor design has several unique features including channels from ∼6 GHz to above 190 GHz, sea surface wind direction capability, atmospheric temperature sounding up to ∼0.01 mb using digital FFT channelization techniques, dual primary apertures, and moisture profiling channels. This paper will focus on the unique aspects of the CMIS baseline design and describe the link between sensor design and fulfillment of the assigned CMIS operational environmental data products.