Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM) IEEE 2000 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

GCOM is a follow on Mission of ADEOS2 and is under phase A study in NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan). Mission concept of ADEOS series satellites are to continuously monitor global change phenomena, especially phenomena related to climate change and ozone depletion. The first generation satellites of GCOM is now composed of 2 satellites, i.e. GCOM-A1 and GCOM-B1. The target of GCOM-Al is to monitor greenhouse gases distribution and ozone as well as ozone related constituents from oblique orbit. It is now planned to carry two core instruments, i.e. SOFIS and ODUS. The target of GCOM-B1 is to measure geophysical parameters which are uncertain in the today's climate models. Those parameters include, but not limited to, optical thickness of aerosols and clouds, thermal fluxes, carbon fluxes, sink and source of greenhouse gases, etc. GCOM-B1 will carry three core instruments, i.e. SGLI (GLI follow on), AMSR2 (AMSR follow on), /spl alpha/-Scat (SeaWinds follow on). The orbit of GCOM-B1 will be a Sun synchronous orbit, which is almost the same as ADEOS2. GCOM-Al is planned to be launched in February 2006, and GCOM-B1 is planned to be launched in August 2006.