BAE Systems develop new atmospheric sensor for GeoXO satellites

Britain's BAE Systems signed a $365 million contract on Wednesday to develop an air quality sensor for the U.S.' geostationary weather satellites.

NASA has assigned BAE Systems the responsibility of developing the Atmospheric Composition Instrument (ACX) in preparation for its integration into the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite constellation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This project is part of a larger plan to enhance Earth observation capabilities, first established with the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R series.

The GeoXO constellation, comprised of three satellites, will advance observations in critical NOAA domains, such as weather monitoring and lightning mapping via visible and infrared imagery. In addition to ocean color observations, atmospheric composition, and infrared sounding, the constellation will introduce advanced characteristics designed to improve scientific research and weather forecasting.

BAE Systems developed the ACX, a hyperspectral imager, to gather hourly air quality data spanning ultraviolet to visible light wavelengths. Owing to their exceptional spatial and temporal resolution, these measurements are of the utmost importance in air quality prediction enhancement and the continuous monitoring of dynamic air quality changes.

"The ACX instrument will provide substantial, practical benefits to the scientific and operational user communities, as well as the general public," stated BAE Systems Space and Mission Systems Vice President and General Manager of Civil Space Dr. Alberto Conti. "Not only will this instrument provide cutting-edge measurements of air quality, but it will also improve weather forecasts, help pilots avoid dangerous situations, warn hospitals of imminent air quality issues, and protect the lasting health and economic stability of our communities."

In addition, ACX will have a significant impact on numerous research fields through its ability to precisely monitor the movements and emissions of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, glyoxal, and sulfur dioxide. By integrating its hyperspectral capabilities with those of other GeoXO instruments such as the Imager and infrared sounder, NOAA will have access to weather-related data of even higher quality.

BAE Systems has developed comparable hyperspectral imagers for South Korea's Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer and NASA's Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution, the only instruments of their kind in geostationary orbit, according to their track record. The imminent deployment of ACX will bolster an expanding geostationary satellite network, spanning North America, Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Additionally, BAE Systems has secured the contract to design and develop the GeoXO Sounder, a device that will measure atmospheric moisture, temperature, and winds to enhance the precision of severe weather forecasts. The implementation of numerous instruments for the GeoXO program will facilitate better cooperation and optimize BAE Systems' development workflow.

It is anticipated that the operational phase of GeoXO will begin in the early 2030s and continue until 2055.

Source: Newsroom