JAXA Earth Observation Program Update

To contribute to solving earth and environmental issues, particularly climate change mitigation and adaptation, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has developed and operated several types of earth observation remote sensing satellites starting with the Marine Observation Satellite-1 (MOS-1) in 1987. At the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, the GEO (Group on Earth Observation) was proposed and established by the G8 (Group of Eight) leading industrialized countries. The GEO is constructing a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) on the basis of a 10-Year Implementation Plan for the period of 2005 to 2015. The Plan defines a vision statement for GEOSS, its purpose, scope, expected benefits, and the nine "Societal Benefit Areas" of disasters, health, energy, climate, water, weather, ecosystems, agriculture, and biodiversity. JAXA's earth observation satellite program is expected to develop GEOSS, particularly the areas of climate, water, and disaster. This paper describes the outline of JAXA's earth observation program including operating satellites [Greenhouse gas Observing SATellite (GOSAT), Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM), and Global Change Observation Mission-Water 1 (GCOM-W1)] as well as new generation satellites [Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)- 2/3, GCOM-C, Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), Earth Cloud, Aerosol, and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) and GOSAT-2].