Ball Aerospace WSF-M
In the mid-2010s, the U.S. Air Force defined the requirements for a new generation of weather and environmental monitoring satellites under the WSF (Weather System Follow-on) program. In 2017, Ball Aerospace received the prime contract to build the first series of such satellites, labeled WSF-M (Weather System Follow-on - Microwave).
The mission payloads of a WSF-M satellite are a passive microwave imaging radiometer, and an energetic charged particle (ECP) sensor. WSF-M1 was launched in April 2024, and operates in a sun-synchronous Low Earth Orbit.
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| Image: Ball Aerospace |
| WSF-M |
| Name | Intl. Designation | Launch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WSF-M1 | 2024-070A | 11-Apr-2024 |
Launch dates of the WSF-M series
A second satellite, WSF-M2, has been ordered in 2023, and is planned to be launched in 2028.
Main Sources
[1] Wikipedia: Weather System Follow-on Microwave
[2] Gunter Krebs: WSF-M 1, 2
[3] USSF:
Weather System Follow-on Microwave Program Passes Critical Design Review and Milestone B
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 3
Last Updated: 15 April 2024