L3Harris to Build Weather Satellite Sensors for Japan

L3Harris awarded a contract for an advanced international weather sounder and imager for Japan. Photo: L3Harris

L3Harris Technologies will provide Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) next-generation Geostationary (GEO) imaging and sounding instruments to monitor and predict severe weather events. L3Harris has a legacy of providing these space-based weather instruments for Japan. 

The contract announced April 13 is with Mitsubishi Electric Group. L3Harris will build and deliver an advanced imager and sounder for JMA’s Himawari-10 satellite. The imager will use a similar technical platform as L3Harris’ Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R). It will also carry enhancements beyond its predecessor, Himawari-8/-9, including tailored Japanese spectral bands. 

“L3Harris’ expertise in delivering the most advanced weather instruments in the world continues to be validated through international collaborations like this one with the Mitsubishi Electric Group for Japan’s critical weather needs,” said Ed Zoiss, president of Space and Airborne Systems for L3Harris. “Our next-generation capabilities will enable forecasters to make better real-time decisions to counteract the threat of severe weather and disaster events in Japan and throughout much of Asia-Pacific.”