First images from AMSR2

Hat-tip to commenter Arcticicelost80.

Yesterday JAXA released the following press release:

SHIZUKU Observation Data Acquired by AMSR2

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has released some observation images on the Earth acquired by the Global Change Observation Mission 1st - Water "SHIZUKU" (GCOM-W1). The SHIZUKU was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center at 1:39 a.m. on May 18, 2012 (Japan Standard Time) and entered into the A-train orbit on June 29, then has started regular observations since July 3, after increasing the antenna rotation of the onboard Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) to 40 rpm.

We will continue the initial functional verification (for about three months after launch,) then confirm data accuracy by comparing it with observation data acquired on land, and perform initial calibration and inspection operations including data correction.

I'm not really sure when AMSR2 will replace WindSat for the delivery of SIE data. Maybe next year?

Comments

[Moregrumbinescience.blogspot.com]

The word I have from JAXA is that AMSR2 data distribution is expected to go operational 1 year after launch. So you're with WindSat (or SSMI, or SSMI/S) until May 2013.

Of course, in the mean time, us ice and sst people are drooling some at the prospects of getting it. And thinking very wishful thoughts about getting it sooner than the scheduled 12 months after launch.

[Neven]

Thanks for the info, Bob. I meant to pop over to your blog to ask, but this is faster. :-)

So, next year it is.

[Account Deleted]

http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de:8084/ssmis/index.html

"This site is still under construction and will be extended gradually until AMSR-2 data will become available (expected mid-2012)."

[Account Deleted]

http://www.drroyspencer.com/

"Operational products from AMSR2 should start flowing in August."

[Artful Dodger]

SHIZUKU Special Site:
This is JAXA's clearing house for AMSR2 Press Releases. Bookmarked!

[Christoffer Ladstein]

Also "Meteosat 10" have been successfully launched these days (from the danish DMI-site). Just thought it might be of interest due to our common interest in weather!
http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/ny_vejrsatellit_kom_godt_af_sted_-_se_opsendelsen

[Moregrumbinescience.blogspot.com]

Since mid-2012 was the launch of Shizuku, I feel confident that the Bremen page has a typo, for mid-2013.

I don't know where Spencer gets his August date. Perhaps a misinterpretation of a milestone. 3 months post-launch is a milestone in the commissioning of the instrument; if I remember correctly, that's when the algorithm development + verification teams working with JAXA are supposed to be getting the data in near real time on a reliable basis.

But the schedule is for 12 months post-launch before the, for example, sea ice concentration retrievals to be delivered in near real time on an operational basis. That term 'operational' means rather different things to different groups.

Anyhow, do drop by my blog with questions or feel free to email. At some point this summer, I should also be going public with a major overhaul of my work sea ice site.