GPM

Content which is affiliated solely with the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission.

Core Observatory Passes Centrifuge Stress Testing

The GPM Core Observatory structure successfully completed proof testing in the centrifuge facility at Goddard Space Flight Center. The satellite was tested at several different angles to simulate the increased feeling of gravity’s pull on the satellite during launch. Goddard's centrifuge can accelerate 2.5 tons to speeds so high that the payload experiences forces 30 times greater than the pull of Earth's gravity. The GPM Core Observatory undergoing centrifuge testing at Goddard Space Flight Center.

Successful Completion of KDP-C Review

GPM has successfully completed the GPM Mission Key Decision Point - C (KDP-C) Review on December 2, 2009, which formally confirms the Implementation phase of the GPM Mission. Key Decision Point C (KDP-C) is the agency-level approval for the project to begin implementation, and baselines the project’s official schedule and budget. The review process for KDP-C starts with the Preliminary Design Review/Non-Advocate Review (PDR/NAR) to the project’s Standing Review Board (SRB). Next, the project and SRB report to the GSFC Center Management Council at the Confirmation Readiness Review (CRR). Based
Document Description

This document describes the algorithm and processing sequence for the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG).  This algorithm is intended to intercalibrate, merge, and interpolate “all” satellite microwave precipitation estimates, together with microwave-calibrated infrared (IR) satellite estimates, precipitation gauge analyses, and potentially other precipitation estimators at fine time and space scales for the TRMM and GPM eras over the entire globe.  The system is run several times for each observation time, first giving a quick estimate and successively providin

Date Last Updated
May 15th, 2022
Document Description

This ATBD describes the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) passive microwave rainfall algorithm, which is a parametric algorithm used to serve all GPM constellation radiometers. The output parameters of the algorithm are enumerated in Table 1. It is based upon the concept that the GPM core satellite, with its Dual Frequency Radar (DPR) and GPM Microwave Imager (GMI), will be used to build a consistent a-priori database of cloud and precipitation profiles to help constrain possible solutions from the constellation radiometers.

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Date Last Updated
April 1st, 2016
Document Description

Level 1C (L1C) algorithms are a collection of algorithms that produce common calibrated brightness temperature products for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core and Constellation satellites.

This document describes the GPM Level 1C algorithms. It consists of physical and mathematical bases for orbitization, satellite intercalibration, and quality control, as well as the software architecture and implementation for the Level 1C algorithms.

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Document Description

The GPM Combined Radar-Radiometer Algorithm performs two basic functions: first, it provides, in principle, the most accurate, high resolution estimates of surface rainfall rate and precipitation vertical precipitation distributions that can be achieved from a spaceborne platform, and it is therefore valuable for applications where information regarding instantaneous storm structure are vital.

Date Last Updated
December 17th, 2021
Document Description

This document describes the basic idea of DPR data processing. It was originally written for the algorithm used in the at-launch version (V03). The algorithm has been modified and improved since then. Although the basic idea of data processing remains the same, the actual flow of processing, in particular that in the solver module, has changed substantially. As a result, some part of description in Section 3.1 may not be relevant any more.

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Successful Completion of CDR

GPM has successfully completed the GPM Mission Critical Design Review (CDR) on December 17, 2009. During this phase of the mission the activities are focused on the implementation of science and engineering plans for the mission. The engineering activities are focused on: Core Observatory development (in-house development at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Maryland) GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument development for flight units 1&2 (at Ball Aerospace, Boulder Colorado) Dual Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument development (JAXA- Japan) Ground Validation preparation for the field