NOAA funds ASTRA study to define future weather satellite constellation

LOUISVILLE, Colo., - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates (ASTRA), LLC a six-month contract to design a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) CubeSats able to meet the agency's future global weather data requirements.

Part of NOAA's initiative to advance the capability of its Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R satellite series, the agency seeks next-generation weather satellite systems from various orbits. For the geostationary (GEO) orbit, ASTRA will provide a study on GEO-utilization of Common LEO Architecture for Weather (G-CLAW) for imager- and sounder-based mission architecture and constellation design to provide NOAA with novel weather imagery and data.

With support from Science and Technology Corporation and Lockheed Martin, ASTRA will study a common 12U satellite approach, hosting a suite of infrared and microwave sounders, a GPS/GNSS sounder, and imager concepts that meet the mission requirements and standards for NOAA.