ITT Sensors Aboard
First European Polar-orbiting Weather Satellite
(19 October 2006) ITT Corporation
today announced two sensors manufactured by ITT are aboard the first of three
European MetOp weather satellites launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan on October 19.
The MetOp series represents Europe's
first polar-orbiting weather satellites. The satellites are operated in
partnership with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's
(NOAA) polar weather satellite system to provide data used to monitor the
Earth's climate and improve weather forecasting.
"ITT has manufactured
every primary imager and sounder flying on geostationary weather satellite
constellations, and every primary high resolution radiometer and IR sounder on
polar-orbiting weather constellations" said Frank Koester, Vice-President and
Director, Commercial and Space Science Systems. "This latest launch continues
ITT's long heritage of operational and instrument experience in providing high
performance meteorological remote sensing solutions to the international
community."
The three flight models of the MetOp spacecrafts are
scheduled to be launched sequentially in order to provide continuous data
through 2020.
ITT manufactured the Advanced Very High-resolution
Radiometer (AVHRR) and the High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS/4)
that have been integrated onto the spacecraft.
The AVHRR collects day
and night images of land, water and clouds, and measures sea surface
temperature, ice, snow and vegetation cover.
The HIRS/4, an atmospheric
sounding instrument, measures temperature profiles, moisture content, cloud
height and surface albedo.
About ITT
ITT Corporation supplies
advanced technology products and services in several growth key markets. ITT is
a global leader in the transport, treatment including: fluid and control of
water, wastewater and other fluids. The company plays a vital role in
international security through its management including water treatment;
defence communications and, opto-electronics, information technology and
services; electronic interconnects and switches; and other speciality products;
space surveillance and intelligence systems; and advanced engineering and
related services. It also serves the growing leisure marine and electronic
components market with a wide range of products. Headquartered in White Plains,
NY, the company generated US$ 7.4 billion in 2005 sales.
(source:
ITT)