AHI sensor unit on the Himawari 8 satellite. Photo: ITT Exelis

[Via Satellite 10-08-13] Himawari Operation Enterprise and Mitsubishi Electric have completed the ground operations system for the Himawari 8 and Himawari 9 weather data transmission satellites. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) plans to launch the two satellites in the summer of 2014 and 2016, respectively, to enhance public safety and security through relaying sophisticated weather data contributing to disaster prevention and monitoring global environment.

The ground operations system designed, built and installed by Mitsubishi Electric consists of antennas with a 9-meter diameter and radio frequency and satellite control equipment installed at the main unit in Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture, and the sub unit in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. Himawari Operation Enterprise and Mitsubishi Electric will soon begin comprehensive system tests and personnel training for satellite operations for Himawari 8 under the supervision of JMA.

Himawari 8 and 9 will relay data images at double the resolution of existing weather satellites and reduce observation times to 10 minutes from the current 30 minutes. The satellites will also more than triple the types of observation data transmitted to 16 from the current five, and are able to focus observation on a small geographic area such as territorial Japan at a high frequency.