L3Harris Technologies completed Critical Design Review (CDR) of the imaging and sounding instruments for Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)’s new geostationary meteorological satellite, Himawari-10.
The CDR, performed jointly with JMA and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO), confirmed that L3Harris’ advanced imager and hyperspectral infrared sounder designs are ready for system-level production. The manufacturing of subsystems for both instruments is already actively underway.
“For over two decades, L3Harris has been a proud partner in delivering advanced weather technology to Japan,” said Paul Wloszek, Vice President and General Manager, Spectral Systems, L3Harris. “New to Himawari-10 are hyperspectral infrared sounding observations that will greatly enhance the precision and accuracy of short-term forecasts for severe weather, such typhoons and concentrated heavy rainfall that can lead to flooding and mudslides.”
The Himawari-10 imager builds on the success of its predecessor, designed for Himawari-9, ensuring seamless continuity of observations while providing additional capabilities. The new imager includes two new spectral bands for better water vapor measurement plus seven others for enhanced resolution. In addition, the Himawari-10 sounder will provide highly accurate real-time data on atmospheric temperature and humidity. Together, these upgrades will enable improved precision and accuracy for forecasting and environmental monitoring in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2023, L3Harris received a five-year contract to build and deliver the advanced imager and hyperspectral IR sounder payloads for Himawari-10. This collaboration underscores the company’s longstanding commitment to improving weather forecasting and environmental monitoring capabilities worldwide.
