Development of Earth Observation Satellites for the Atmospheric Sciences

Abstract

This article overviews and discusses achievements and issues in the earth observation satellite development for the atmospheric sciences. There are large progresses in the remote sensing technology such as better FOV, lifetime, and various measurement geometries, i.e. multi-viewing, polarization, radiation spectrum, and active sensing, which make it possible to provide ample satellite data for data analysis and modeling in the wide applications such as weather forecasting, air pollution monitoring, climate study and disaster reduction. Future prospects are expected for realizing further contributions to the solution of societal problems. To attain this goal, further development of new technologies and increasing cost-performance are needed.