Airbus has been selected by the French Space Agency (CNES) to design and build two new generation microwave radiometers as part of the French contribution to the Atmosphere Observing System (AOS): the C²OMODO mission (Convective Core Observations through MicrOwave Derivatives in the trOpics). 

A cooperation between the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy and France, AOS’ goal is to optimize how we examine links between aerosols, clouds, atmospheric convection and precipitation. Encompassing six satellites as well as suborbital platforms in the air and on land, it will provide key data for improved forecasts of weather, air quality and climate.

“Working on climate missions is something that really matters to us at Airbus. Just a few weeks after launch of the EarthCARE mission with Europe and Japan, it is an honour to be part of another climate mission, this time NASA-led with international partners,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “I would like to thank the French Space Agency, CNES, for supporting European industry: with this contract Airbus is further reinforcing its role in helping better understand clouds, weather and climate.”

C²OMODO will provide the first-ever global view of vertical air motions and precipitation properties in convective storms. This will enable two key improvements: the enhanced understanding of how intense precipitation forms, and also how these processes are represented in computer weather models which will lead to improved global weather forecasting.

Designed and built in Toulouse, France, the C²OMODO high-frequency microwave radiometers will be mounted on two of the AOS satellites, working in tandem in an inclined orbit: AOS-Storm, under the lead of the US and Precipitation Measuring Mission (PMM) under the lead of Japan.

Click here to learn more about Airbus' Earth Observation and Climate Missions.