Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
Overall: 4 1/2in. x 3 1/2in. (11.4 x 8.9cm)
Materials:
Base: wood; Satellite: aluminum, plastic
Japan developed the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (GMS) as part of the Global Atmospheric Research Program and the World Weather Watch, two international programs aimed at improving understanding of Earth's atmosphere. Japan contributed three satellites, launched from 1977 to 1984.
Built by Hughes Aircraft, each satellite was spin-stabilized and carried a complement of instrumentation, including visible and infrared spin-scan radiometers and a space environment monitor as instrumentation. Full earth images taken by the radiometer were used to monitor cloud cover location, wind patterns and to determine sea surface temperature gradients.
Hughes Aircraft donated this 1/24 scale model of a GMS satellite to the Museum in 1975.
Gift of Hughes Aircraft Co.
