L3Harris Technologies has been contracted to provide next-generation geostationary imaging and sounding instruments for the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) that will monitor and predict severe weather events more accurately.
Under the contract with the Mitsubishi Electric Group, L3Harris will build and deliver an advanced imager and sounder for JMA’s Himawari-10 satellite. The imager will use a similar technical platform as L3Harris’s Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R). The imager will also carry enhancements beyond its predecessor, Himawari-8/-9, including tailored Japanese spectral bands to supply the most advanced geostationary weather information for the international community.
The addition of a next-generation hyperspectral infrared sounder on the Himawari-10 mission will provide improved weather prediction accuracy and enhanced environmental monitoring for extreme weather events impacting Japan. This includes enabling precise measurements, such as temperature, moisture and pressure, throughout the atmosphere.
Ed Zoiss, president, space and airborne systems, L3Harris, said, “L3Harris’s expertise in delivering the most advanced weather instruments in the world continues to be validated through international collaborations like this one with the Mitsubishi Electric Group for Japan’s critical weather needs. Our next-generation capabilities will enable forecasters to make better real-time decisions to counteract the threat of severe weather and disaster events in Japan and throughout much of Asia-Pacific.”
Rob Mitrevski, vice president and general manager, spectral solutions, L3Harris, said, “This award continues L3Harris’s role of being a trusted, multi-generational partner of advanced weather satellite technology for civil, commercial and international markets, and demonstrates our commitment to advance and improve our customers’ capabilities for the future. For more than 60 years, we have proudly developed critical technology for customers like the Mitsubishi Electric Group and JMA — advancing climate science, increasing severe weather warning time and ultimately saving lives.”