To celebrate the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite's 15th anniversary on November 28, we will held the public symposium on November 12 in Tokyo?Japan. TRMM's achievements and contributions to the society will be summarized and introduced at the symposium.

In this seventh Precipitation Measuring Mission (PMM) Science Research Announcement (RA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announces the opportunity for researches, relating to the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite.

To meet the mission objectives of TRMM and GPM, which are to understand and predict global water cycle variation and contribute to operational use, this RA seeks to conduct researches necessary to generate global, highly-accurate, uniform and long-term stable precipitation products (i.e., “Algorithm Development" and “Validation"), and researches related to climate and water cycle variation and development of new research products using techniques such as models and/or data assimilation (i.e., “Application Research").

Proposals should submit no later than October 15, 2012.

In this sixth Precipitation Measuring Mission (PMM) Science Research Announcement (RA), the JAXA announces the opportunity for researches, relating to the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite.
To meet the mission objectives of TRMM and GPM, which are to understand and predict global water cycle variation and contribute to operational use, this RA seeks to conduct researches necessary to generate global, highly-accurate, uniform and long-term stable precipitation products (i.e., algorithm development and validation), and researches related to climate and water cycle variation using TRMM data (i.e., application research).

NASA carried out an online poll for the biggest hits for planet Earth, and anybody could vote through the Internet for one of the 10 best accomplishments for Earth observations. Observation achievements by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission "TRMM," in which a sensor developed by JAXA is installed, was one of the listed accomplishment entitled "From Storm-Spotting to Next Week's Weather." On Earth Day on April 22, the results of the poll were announced, and that accomplishment, including TRMM's observation of hurricanes and tropical depressions, was ranked third.
(Photo by NASA)

The Earth Observation Research Center (EORC) of JAXA has started to release image data of a high-resolution global precipitation distribution map in quasi real time (about four hours after observations) on the Internet. The map is composed by the EORC using acquired data by earth observation satellites including the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM.)
The image data is updated every hour, and you can also see the animated image of precipitation distribution over the last 24 hours.

On September 28, 2005 NASA officially approved the extension of TRMM science operations through fiscal year 2009 (September 30, 2009). Further extension may be considered at the end of that period.

The operation of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) has been extended at the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). TRMM will continue its operation until the end of 2004 to cover this Summer's typhoon season.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), which was launched in 1997, has provided a huge amount of useful observation data on the atmosphere-hydrosphere and on the earth's water circulation for much longer than its original scheduled mission life of three years. The TRMM satellite has been a very successful mission, both operationally and academically, however, its operation will be terminated soon.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, which was launched at the end of November 1997, will soon mark its 5th anniversary. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), Osaka Prefecture University, Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will hold an international symposium commemorating the 5th anniversary of the launch of the TRMM satellite. It is entitled "Earth Observation from Space - Centering Water Cycle", and will be held on November 14, 2002 at Osaka Prefecture University, Academic Exchange Hall, in Sakai-shi, Osaka. In this symposium, the scientific achievements of TRMM, and its successor, Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, will be presented by several speakers to those interested in global environment issues, including researchers from industrial, government and educational areas, students and common folks.
Please contact TRMM@prime-intl.co.jp for further details.

On October 3, NASDA's Earth Observation Research Center (EORC) released a database of typhoons (including hurricanes and cyclones) observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite on the TRMM web site as the "TRMM Tropical Cyclone Database."

This database archives data and images of typhoons acquired by the Precipitation Radar (PR), TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) onboard TRMM, and can be retrieved via internet. In addition to the proven cloud information by geostationary satellite, three-dimensional rainfall structure obtained by PR will greatly contribute to meteorological researches on accurate estimation of typhoon track and forecast. Since there is few ground observation point over the ocean, rainfall information becomes important to understand the rainfall characteristics of typhoons, which generates and develops over the ocean, and verify typhoon forecasting model.

Users can download the data and images of each typhoon observed by TRMM from "TRMM Web site" without charge. Data and images are available from December 1997, and will be extended in future releases.

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) concept was based on TRMM`s achievements, and this concept is currently being studied. The GPM satellites consist of a TRMM-type primary satellite that carries a radar and a microwave radiometer and a fleet of constellation satellites that carry microwave radiometers. The primary satellite plans to go to higher latitudes than TRMM to extend the coverage. The constellation satellites will measure precipitation frequently and globally. GPM is currently planned to start operating in 2007-2008 timeframe. The primary satellite is planned to carry a Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and a microwave radiometer. The combination of these two instruments will improve the accuracy of rainfall measurement and also realize snowfall observation, especially at higher latitudes. The 2nd GPM International Planning Workshop will be held from 20th (Mon.) through 22nd (Wed.) May 2002 at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), the Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will co-host this workshop. Please see more details here.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite completed four years in orbit on November 28, 2001. In addition, TRMM's orbit was successfully raised in August 2001, significantly extending its mission operation period.
Figure 1 shows monthly accumulated rainfall distribution for December 1997, right after the launch of TRMM, observed by TRMM's Precipitation Radar (PR); Fig. 2 is the same except for November 2001, the latest observation. It is clear that the distribution of global rainfall could be different for each year even in the same season. In December 1997 (Fig. 1), El Nino was at its climax, and heavy rainfall region (yellow-to-red) was observed over the equatorial Pacific Ocean. This 1997-98 El Nino phenomenon terminated in the early summer of 1998, and then a strong La Nina, which is the opposite phenomenon from El Nino, was observed in this area. At present, the November 2001 (Fig. 2) rainfall distribution appears normal, and heavier rainfall regions (convergence zones) are found both north and south of the equator over the eastern Pacific. Recently, there have been some predictions that an El Nino phenomenon might occur in early 2002, and TRMM is expected to provide continuing observation data.
All observation data of TRMM after the satellite orbit raising have been available since 30 November 2001. Please see more details here.

TRMM completed its nominal three year mission in January 2001, and is continuing to operate. Based NASA's latest mission analysis, TRMM's lifetime will be shorter than the previous estimate. Figure shows NASA's latest estimate of the TRMM mission lifetime. The end of mission lifetime, when fuel will decrease to the maximum weight of 157 kg needed for controlled reentry, will be March 2003 if TRMM continues operating at the current 350 km height, and October 2007 if TRMM's orbit is raised to an altitude of 400 km.
Since the international science community rates TRMM's observation data highly and there were many requests for continued rainfall observation, NASDA and NASA decided to raise the satellite altitude to 400 km in order to extend its lifetime. Orbit raising began on 7 August 2001 and was completed on 24 August 2001 (UTC) . For further information, visit.