6. Future Satellites and their Sensors 



At the time of this writing, two polar orbited satellites capable 

 of providing oceanographic information are scheduled to be launched in 

 1969: Nimbus B2 -- in the spring, and TIROS M — in the early fall. 

 As mentioned previously, only the Nimbus satellites have given infrared 

 data capable of oceanographic use and these did not function long enough 

 to give full seasonal coverage. Both of these new satellites will have 

 infrared and television capabilities. 



Nimbus B2 will have nine experimental systems. Although all nine 

 systems will provide general information useful for oceanographic studies, 

 those systems providing direct oceanographic data are listed in Table 5. 

 The first three of the systems listed in the table have been used 

 successfully on former spacecraft. The fourth system is the prototype 

 of a location and interrogation system that will result in the coupling 

 of the remote sensing techniques of the satellite with the time -proven 

 method of manned and unmanned ocean stations. 



TIROS M will be the prototype of the ITOS (improved TIROS Operational 

 Satellite) series and will carry a new generation of infrared sensors. 

 Its primary sensors will combine the daylight television picture functions 

 of the existing AVCS and APT television systems and the capability of 

 two-channel scanning radiometers. One of these radiometer channels, 

 operating in the visible .52 to .73 micron range, will provide an additional 

 source of daytime cloud pictures while the second channel, operating 

 in the 10. 5 to 12.5 micron atmospheric "window", will provide day 

 and night measurements of the earth's infrared emissions. 



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