The Evolution of Spaceborne Microwave Sounders for the U.S. Polar-Orbiting Weather Satellites

The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) is the next generation space-borne microwave sounder. It is the latest and most advanced version of a series of satellite-based microwave sounders, currently under development by NASA for the future U.S. operational polar-orbiting weather satellite system, called the NPOESS (National Polar-orbiting Operational Environment Satellite System), slated to begin orbiting around the end of this decade. This paper will present a brief history of the evolution of the space-borne microwave sounders, from its early-day scientific experiments, through the operational sounder aboard today's polar orbiting weather satellites, and ending in the ATMS development. It will also describe the evolution of microwave radiometer technology that enabled the space-borne microwave radiometry, from its early versions with simple, nadir-viewing, fixed-horn antennas to the present-day scanning reflector antennas with broad-band MMIC Low Noise Amplifiers, plus on-board calibrations.