The TIROS Operational Satellite (TOS) Program is a joint effort by NASA and the Department of Commerce to provide systematic, global, cloud-cover observations. Governed by a NASA-Commerce agreement, dated 30 January 1964, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for establishing the requirements for and operating the system and NASA is responsible for developing the spacecraft and associated ground stations, for launching the spacecraft, and for ensuring the successful operation of the spacecraft. The TOS Program consists of a first series of spacecraft, now all launched, which included four Advanced Vidicon Camera System (AVCS) satellites for remote global cloud-cover imaging and five Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) satellites for local-area coverage. Also approved is a second series of Improved TOS (ITOS) spacecraft combining the remote and local viewing capability. TIROS-M/ITOS-1, a NASA experimental spacecraft, was launched as the flight prototype of this second series. Following the completion of its in-orbit engineering evaluation and checkout on 15 June 1970, this spacecraft was used operationally by NOAA. ITOS-A/NOAA-l, which was launched 11 December 1970 as the first operational, NOAA-funded member of this series, also assumed an operational role in the national operational system when NASA s in-orbit engineering evaluation was completed on 2 February 1971. ITOS-B is being launched as a replacement for NOAA-l to meet the national operational system s requirements for global cloud-cover data both day and night. Five additional ITOS-type spacecraft are being procured by NASA for NOAA to meet operational needs of the 1972-1975 time-frame. As provided for in the NASA-Commerce agreement, concerning Operational Meteorological Satellites NASA is conducting a R&D program to develop improved sensors and techniques for the TOS Program. This program includes development of higher resolution camera systems, advanced radiometers and atmospheric sounders, improved spacecraft subsystems, etc. The third series of proposed spacecraft may incorporate many of the other developments being pursued by NASA in the Nimbus and SRT programs. It is contemplated that these spacecraft will incorporate sensors for sounding the atmosphere, thus forming a basis for longer-range forecasting.


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