[Source: National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC), http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1991-032A ]
NOAA-12 (NOAA-D before launch) is a third-generation operational meteorological satellite for use in the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). The satellite design provides an economical and stable sun-synchronous (morning equator-crossing) platform for advanced operational instruments to measure the earth's atmosphere, its surface and cloud cover, and the near-space environment. Primary sensors include an Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) for observing daytime and nighttime global radiances and temperatures and a TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) for obtaining temperature and water vapor profiles through the earth's atmosphere. Secondary experiments consist of a Space Environment Monitor (SEM), which measures the proton and electron fluxes near the earth, and an ARGOS Data Collection and Location System, which processes and relays to central data acquisition stations the various meteorological data received from free-floating balloons and ocean buoys distributed around the globe. The satellite is based upon the Block 5D spacecraft bus developed for the U.S. Air Force, and it is capable of maintaining an earth-pointing accuracy of better than plus or minus 0.1 deg with a motion rate of less than 0.035 deg/s. NOAA 12 operations were closed as of April 2001.
Group: Platform_Details
Entry_ID: NOAA-12
Group: Platform_Identification
Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites
Platform_Series_or_Entity: NOAA POES (Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites)
Short_Name: NOAA-12
Long_Name: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-12
End_Group
Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names
Short_Name: NOAA-D
Short_Name: 21263
End_Group
Group: Platform_Associated_Instruments
Short_Name: AVHRR
Short_Name: ADCS
Short_Name: HIRS
Short_Name: TOVS
Short_Name: SEM
End_Group
Group: Orbit
Orbit_Inclination: 98.70 deg
Period: 101.3 minutes
Perigee: 821.0 km
Apogee: 841.0 km
Orbit_Type: LEO > Low Earth Orbit > Polar Sun-Synchronous
End_Group
Creation_Date: 2007-11-05
Online_Resource: http://www.oso.noaa.gov/poes/index.htm
Online_Resource: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1991-032A
Online_Resource: http://noaasis.noaa.gov/NOAASIS/ml/genlsatl.html
Group: Platform_Logistics
Launch_Date: 1991-05-14
Launch_Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA
Primary_Sponsor: USA/NASA
Primary_Sponsor: USA/NOAA
End_Group
End_Group (en)