Multi-Functional Transport Satellite

Multifunctional Transport Satellites (MTSAT) are a series of weather and aviation control satellites. They are geostationary satellites owned and operated by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), and provide coverage for the hemisphere centred on 140° East; this includes Japan and Australia who are the principal users of the satellite imagery that MTSAT provides. They replace the GMS-5 satellite, also known as Himawari 5 (“himawari” or “ひまわり” meaning “sunflower”). They can provide imagery in five wavelength bands — visible and four infrared, including the water vapour channel. The visible light camera has a resolution of 1 km; the infrared cameras have 4 km (resolution is lower away from the equator at 140° East). The spacecraft have a planned lifespan of five years. MTSAT-1 and 1R were built by Space Systems/Loral. MTSAT-2 was built by Mitsubishi. It was replaced by Himawari 8 on 7 July 2015.

The launch of MTSAT-1, on a Japanese H-II rocket, failed on November 15, 1999 and the spacecraft was destroyed. GMS-5, the satellite MTSAT-1 was intended to replace, was decommissioned on April 1, 2003 leaving Japan without weather satellite imagery.

To fill in the void, The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) loaned the GOES-9 satellite to the JMA and repositioned it over 155° East on May 22, 2003.

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