Theater Weather Imaging and Cloud Characterization Sensor (TWICCS)

Theater Weather Imaging and Cloud Characterization Sensor (TWICCS) payload for the MetNet-1 Small Satellite will demonstrate the capabilities of a push-frame, multispectral imager in acquiring high quality weather data covering from the Visible through Longwave Infrared. Data products supported include Theater Weather Imaging products (ie. discrimination of ground fog, dust, and smoke, etc.) and Cloud Characterization products (cloud phase, cloud top temperature, mid and low-level clouds, etc.). The field of view of the instrument is 2000 Km with a 1 Km Visible resolution in the Day-Night Band, and 2 Km resolution in the infrared bands at the edge of field. The payload will fit in a commercial microsatellite (<50 Kg) with multiple low-cost launch options available to 850 Km Sun-Sync terminator orbit. The mission objective is to prove that a constellation of 24 small low-cost satellites can fill the role previously held by exquisite GEO and LEO satellites, without sacrificing data quality or revisit rate (<30-min average for a 24- satellite constellation.)