Mitsubishi Electric announced that it has won the contract to build the nation's newest geostationary meteorological satellite, from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). This satellite is known as the Himawari-10, which will be company's fourth consecutive Himawari model. This model is expected to enhance weather disaster prevention.
The Himawari-10 is a successor to the Himawari-8 and Himawari-9, which are currently operating in geostationary orbit. The JMA called for proposals for the procurement of the spacecraft, based on Japan’s Space Policy, to satellite manufactures of both Japan and overseas. Mitsubishi Electric was awarded the contract based on its extensive experience with satellites and the JMA's high evaluation of the company's proven DS2000 standard satellite platform and ground-data processing software.
Himawari-10 Features
1) Advanced equipment for expanded observation capabilities
- Himawari-10 will be outfitted with a visible infrared imager and a hyperspectral infrared sounder from the United States' L3 Harris Technologies, as well as a space environment sensor from Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT).
- The imager, which offers observation wavelength bands and resolutions superior to those of the Himawari8 and 9, will gather two-dimensional information about cloud and water-vapor distribution, and land, sea and cloud temperatures based on frequent measurement of visible to infrared rays emitted from the earth’s surface.
- Himawari-10 will be the first Japanese satellite to use a hyperspectral infrared sounder to gather threedimensional information about water vapor and atmospheric temperature by measuring infrared rays with high-spectral resolution for improved forecasting of heavy and torrential rain as well as typhoon paths.
- The space environmental sensor will measure the intensity of proton and electron beams in the space, which often are the cause of spacecraft malfunctions, to enhance forecasting reliability.
2) High-precision attitude stabilization system and ground-data processing software
- The DS2000 with a highly durable and precise attitude stabilization system and the ground-data processing software for calibrating imager and sounder data maximize sensor performance.
3) High reliability for practical systems
- High reliability will be achieved by leveraging the company's long experience with the Himawari series and its modern production facility, launched in 2020, which offers a highly advanced production management system for easy access to information for extra-efficient production.
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