Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)
The DMSP program provides weather monitoring for the military. Information from the satellites is used for general weather predictions, as well as for severe weather warnings. One decidedly military application is the use of DMSP data to save surveillance satellite film/observation time when targets are obscured by clouds. Some information from the DMSP program is shared with NOAA for use by the civilian community. Intially begun in 1965, over 35 DMSP satellites have been launched. The satellite bus and instrument payload have been improved over the years resulting in 6 (?) different DMSP variants. The satellites are operated in pairs to provide daily coverage of the entire Earth, with high latitude areas receiving twice daily coverage.
Related QuickLook Pages:
Launch Facts
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| Name | Int'l Desig. | Date | Site | Vehicle | Orbit | Mass(kg) |
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| DMSP 4A F1 | 1965-003A | 1/19/65 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 150 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F2 | 1965-021A | 3/18/65 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 130 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F3 | 1965-038A | 5/20/65 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 130 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F4 | 1965-072A | 9/10/65 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 130 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F5 | none | 1/6/66 | WSMC | Thor Burner | FTO | 130 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F6 | 1966-026A | 3/30/66 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 130 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F7 | 1966-082A | 9/16/66 | WSMC | Thor Burner 2 | LEO | 125 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F8 | 1967-010A | 2/8/67 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 130 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program; lower than planned orbit, but still operational | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F9 | 1967-080A | 8/23/67 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 4A F10 | 1967-096A | 10/11/67 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5A F1 | 1968-042A | 5/23/68 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5A F2 | 1968-092A | 10/23/68 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5A F3 | 1969-062A | 7/23/69 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5A F4 | 1970-012A | 2/11/70 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5A F5 | 1970-070A | 9/3/70 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5A F6 | 1971-012A | 2/17/71 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5B F1 | 1971-087A | 10/14/71 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5B F2 | 1972-018A | 3/24/72 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5B F3 | 1972-089A | 11/9/72 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5B F4 | 1973-054A | 8/17/73 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5B F5 | 1974-015A | 3/16/74 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5B F6 | 1974-063A | 8/9/74 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 195 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5C F1 | 1975-043A | 5/24/75 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 194 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5C F2 | 1976-016A | 2/19/76 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 175 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program; unusable orbit | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-1 F1 (AMS-1) | 1976-091A | 9/11/76 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 450 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-1 F2 (AMS-2) | 1977-044A | 6/5/77 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 450 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-1 F3 (AMS-3) | 1978-042A | 5/1/78 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 513 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-1 F4 (AMS-4) | 1979-050A | 6/6/79 | WSMC | Thor Burner | LEO | 513 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-1 F5 (AMS-5) | none | 7/14/80 | WSMC | Thor Burner | FTO | 513 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F1 | 1982-118A | 12/21/82 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 750 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F2 | 1983-113A | 11/18/83 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 750 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F3 | 1987-053A | 6/20/87 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 750 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F4 | 1988-006A | 2/3/88 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 750 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F5 | 1990-105A | 12/1/90 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 750 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program; broken nozzle prevented from reaching desired orbit | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F6 (USA 73) | 1991-082A | 11/28/91 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 830 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP 5D-2 F7 | 1994-057A | 8/29/94 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 830 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP-F13 (USA 109) | 1995-015A | 3/24/95 | WSMC | Atlas E | LEO | 750 |
| Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | ||||||
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| DMSP F14 (USA 131) | 1997-012A | 4/4/97 | WSMC | Titan 2 | LEO | |
| carries imaging photometers and other instruments for researching Auroral phenomena. | ||||||
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