BackForward Satellite Programme: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Block 5D-3 

Programme details
Programme description
  • The DMSP Block 5D-3 series includes 6 flight units.
  • Major improvement in respect of the Block 5D-2 series: improved platform, improved MW imagery/sounding, extended Space weather sensors.
  • The Department of Defense (DoD), specifically the US Air Force (USAF),  is responsible of development and operations.  NOAA supports the ground segment and provides linkage with the meteorological community.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design lifetime is 5 years.
  • The primary orbit is sunsynchronous in the early morning, around 5.30.
  • The replacement policy is based on launches at roughly 3-year intervals.
  • See detailed description at https://directory.eoportal.org/missions/dmsp-block-5d.
Data circulation
  • Onboard stored and real-time data are downlinked to USAF sites and other appointed military sites, as well as to NOAA sites.
  • Data are encrypted, thus not ordinarily available.
  • NOAA is responsible of disseminating MW data to the meteorological community.
Agencies DoD , NOAA
Programme lifetime 1999 - 2025
Associated satellites and instruments

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