SMBA

BAE Systems was one of the organizations selected by NASA on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct NOAA’s Sounder for Microwave-Based Applications (SMBA) Phase-A study. SMBA is part of NOAA’s Near-Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program dedicated to developing the next generation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environmental satellites. SMBA will play an important role in maintaining continuity of atmospheric temperature and humidity sounding data. This information is critical for operational weather models to improve early warning of extreme weather events. 

SMBA will be a polar-orbiting LEO satellite, providing water vapor and temperature data across the globe. Microwave sounders are key instruments for weather forecasting since they can see through clouds to capture data.