Arctic Weather Satellite components

ESA’s Arctic Weather Satellite is designed to show how a potential polar-orbiting constellation of satellites could provide data for very short-term weather forecasts and nowcasts in the Arctic, a region that lacks these kind of forecasts. Importantly, the constellation would also allow for more accurate forecasting around the world.

To do this, the satellite carries a 19-channel cross-track scanning microwave radiometer, consisting of a rotating antenna that focus incoming radiation onto four feedhorns (one for each group of channels) and four receivers, covering the frequency range 50–325 GHz.

The image also points out the satellite’s star trackers, Sun sensor, antennas, thrusters and solar panels.