FLORAD: Micro-satellite flower constellation of millimeter-wave radiometers for atmospheric remote sensing

Requirements and preliminary specifications to design a micro-satellite flower constellation, named FLORAD, of millimeter-wave (MMW) radiometers for atmospheric observations are here introduced. The FLORAD small-mission scientific objectives are aimed at the retrieval of thermo-dynamical and hydrological properties of the atmosphere. Radiometer specifications and inversion algorithms are briefly discussed, pointing out the trade-off between performances and complexity for low-cost low-weight micro-satellite platforms. In order to fulfill the goal of a short revisit time for meteorological monitoring and now casting purposes, a flower constellation (FC) of micro-satellites is proposed due to its design flexibility.