Basic information about the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, including overview of satellite and sensors, is available from here.
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Transportation of TRMM at the Kagoshima Airport
(21 August 1997)
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) was proposed as a joint project between the US, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Japan, National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) and Communication Research Laboratory (CRL). Japan developed the world's first spaceborne precipitation rader, and provided an H-U rocket to launch the TRMM satellite. The US provided the observatory, four other sensors, and the satellite operation systems. TRMM observation data are processed in both countries and distributed among users. In Decenmber 2003, six years after the satellite launch, it continues excellent observation, though the designed lifetime of the satellite was three years. The satellite altitude was boosted in August 2001 to extend the lifetime by reducing atmospheric drag.
Year
Date
@Event
1978
CRL started Precipitation Radar (PR) development.
1985
Japan-US joint satellite project was proposed by NASA (NASA/GSFC-CRL joint study) .
1986
Jun.
SSLG approved Japan-US joint mission.
1987
Jan.
Feasibility study was performed.
1988
Development of Breadboard Model of TRMM PR was started ( and continued until 1993).
1991
NASA Started TMI, VIRS, CERES, and LIS development.