BackForward Satellite Programme: Himawari 2nd generation (Multifunction Transport Satellite) 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of two satellites to provide continuation of the previous Geostationary Meteorological Satellite series (GMS).
  • Main improvement: 3-axis stabilisation.
  • Joint undertaking of JMA and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB).
  • The design life of the satellites is 5 years.
  • The replacement policy is based on one operational satellite at 140°E and a hot standby in a close position.
  • See detailed description at: https://directory.eoportal.org/missions/mtsat.
Data circulation
  • CDAS (Command and Data Acquisition Station) for real-time acquisition of the full information, pre-processing and re-transmission in near-real time.
  • HRIT (High Resolution Information Transmission) for near-real time broadcasting of the full information.
  • HiRID (High Resolution Imager Data) to provide service continuity of the previous series till 2007.
  • LRIT (Low Rate Information Transmission) for time-stretched broadcasting of image frames and other data.
  • WEFAX (Weather Facsimile) to provide service continuity of the previous series until 2007 in analogue form.
  • DCS (Data Collection Service) to relay messages from Data Collection Platforms (DCP) transmitting either at fixed times or after interrogation.
Agencies JMA , JCAB
Programme lifetime 2005 - 2016
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned