After 14 Years, First Cosmic Satellite Mission Comes To An End
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
The last of six tiny satellites that were rocketed into space 14 years ago-and then went on to prove that the wealth of accurate atmospheric data that can be gleaned from existing GPS signals can improve operational weather forecasts-was officially decommissioned on May 1, outliving its original planned lifespan by a dozen years.
The first Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) mission, launched in 2006, used a technique known as radio occultation to derive vertical atmospheric profiles of temperature, humidity, and pressure by measuring the degree to which GPS signals bend as they travel through Earth's atmosphere. The resulting flood of high-quality, extremely accurate data was provided to weather centers to improve forecasts and to research institutions for use in scientific studies.
Throughout its lifetime, COSMIC-1 made an astounding 7 million vertical atmospheric profiles available to the operational forecast centers and research community. These data demonstrably boosted forecast accuracy and were referenced in more than 550 peer-reviewed scientific publications. In all, more than 5,000 users from over 100 countries have accessed COSMIC data.
A follow-on project COSMIC-2 (also known as FORMOSAT-7) is already operational.
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