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Satellite Programme: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Block 5D-1
Programme details
Programme description
Series of operational satellites for military meteorology, with part of the data available for civilian use.
The programme started in 1965 with the series identified by the platforms:
Block 4A: 10 satellites launched in years 1965-1967
Block 5A: 6 satellites launched in years 1968-1971
Block 5B: 6 satellites launched in years 1971-1974
Block 5C: 2 satellites launched in years 1975-1976.
Block 5D: the last generation, evolved in three steps: Block 5D-1, Block 5D-2 and Block 5D-3.
The DMSP Block 5D-1 series includes 5 flight units.
The Department of Defense (DoD), specifically the US Air Force (USAF), is responsible of development and operations. NOAA supports the ground segment and provides linkage with the meteorological community.
The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
The design lifetime is 2 years.
Two sunsynchronous orbits are exploited at any time, around 6.30 and 10.00 respectively.
The replacement policy is based on yearly launches, alternatively in the early-morning and the mid-morning orbits.
See detailed description at
https://directory.eoportal.org/missions/dmsp-block-5d
Data circulation
Onboard stored and real-time data are downlinked to USAF sites and other appointed military sites, as well as to NOAA sites.
Data are encrypted, thus not ordinarily available.
NOAA is responsible of disseminating MW data to the meteorological community.
Agencies
DoD
,
NOAA
Programme lifetime
1976 - 1980
Associated satellites and instruments
Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Block 5D-1
DMSP-F01
(1976-1979)
OLS
SEM/SSB/X-2
SEM/SSJ4
SSH
DMSP-F02
(1977-1978)
OLS
SEM/SSB/X-2
SEM/SSI/ES-2
SEM/SSJ4
SSH
DMSP-F03
(1978-1979)
OLS
SEM/SSB/X-2
SEM/SSJ4
SSH
DMSP-F04
(1979-1980)
OLS
SEM/SSI/ES-2
SEM/SSJ4
SSH
SSM/T
DMSP-F05
(1980-1980)
OLS
SEM/SSB/X-2
SEM/SSI/ES-2
SEM/SSJ4