Rapid Revisit Optical Cloud Imager (RROCI) early on-orbit demonstration results for the US Space Force EWS program

Orion Space Solutions,has built a prototype 12U CubeSat demonstration satellite called the Rapid Revisit Optical Cloud Imager (RROCI) that’s designed to collect weather imagery in 8 visible and infrared spectral bands. The RROCI mission is designed to meet the SBEM capabilities gaps by meeting requirements for Gap 1, cloud characterization (all nine parameters), and provides risk mitigation for Gap 2, theater weather, by demonstrating key data-processing latency and refresh rates. A low risk, early flight demonstration scheduled to launch on Transporter 10, March 1st, 2024, will demonstrate that RROCI meets all requirements of the EWS demonstration mission, and is well positioned to provide proof of concept data in meeting the capability gaps. The U.S. Space Force is currently evaluating technologies for a new Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) weather system (EWS) to provide global cloud characterization and theater weather imagery to the Department of Defense. The instrument payload consists of Vis, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR cameras with filters set to the target wavelengths needed for cloud characterization products and Theater Weather Imagery.