SATELLITE SYSTEM TEST STATUS OF THE DUAL-FREQUENCY PRECIPITATION RADAR ON THE GLOBAL PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENT CORE SPACECRAFT

The Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) installed on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite is being developed by JAXA and NICT. This paper describes mission objectives, technical performance, resource allocation, critical design, proto-flight test (PFT) of the DPR instrument and satellite system test status. The DPR system PFT has completed in February 2012. DPR has handed over to NASA and integration of the DPR to the GPM core spacecraft have completed in May 2012. GPM core spacecraft satellite system test has started at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. After completion of all satellite system tests, the GPM core spacecraft will be sent to JAXA Tanegashima Space Center and launched by H-IIA launch vehicle.