On Thursday, the Space Force announced that its newest weather satellite is now operational and will soon begin collecting and sharing vital weather data with military planners and operators.
This satellite was built by Ball Aerospace and is part of the Space Force’s Weather Satellite Follow-on program, known as WSF-M. The spacecraft was launched over a year ago and represents the initial step toward modernizing the service’s military weather constellation, which has been in orbit for 60 years.
Col. Robert Davis, who heads Space Systems Command’s sensing portfolio, stated that the satellite’s on-orbit testing exceeded their expectations. He emphasized that the operational acceptance of the WSF-M satellite marks a significant milestone for the Space Force as it aims to develop a more affordable, scalable, and resilient weather satellite constellation.
Currently, the Space Force is replacing its legacy weather satellite constellation. The WSF-M program, alongside its companion programs, serves as a transitional measure to enhance future capabilities. The service is considering a hybrid architecture that includes smaller, cost-effective satellites, commercial systems, and government-owned spacecraft.
The existing weather satellite capability, known as the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), is past its operational life and is anticipated to run out of fuel next year. The DMSP sensors can assess vital atmospheric metrics, including moisture levels, cloud cover, and precipitation.
The Pentagon has struggled for over 20 years to establish a replacement for the DMSP. Efforts such as the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, initiated in the 1990s, were canceled due to various challenges, including cost overruns and schedule delays. A second attempt, the Defense Weather Satellite System, was terminated in 2012 due to management issues.
To address current sensor requirements while developing a long-term strategy, the Space Force is dividing its needs between two programs: WSF-M and the Electro-Optical Weather System (EWS).
The WSF-M satellites are expected to detect wind speeds, tropical storm intensity, and assess snow and soil depths. Meanwhile, EWS satellites will employ electro-optical infrared sensors to provide visual imagery of cloud cover and forecasting data critical for military missions.
Looking ahead, the Space Force plans to launch a second WSF-M satellite in 2028. Additionally, it has previously launched an EWS cubesat developed by Orion Space Systems and has plans to deploy two more EWS spacecraft from General Atomics—one later this year and another in 2027.
**Author Note**: The article is penned by Courtney Albon, C4ISRNET’s reporter specializing in space and emerging technologies, who has covered the U.S. military extensively since 2012, focusing particularly on the Air Force and Space Force.
