The AWS mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) will provide global Earth coverage to improve nowcasting and numerical weather modelling. Equipped with a lateral microwave radiometer, the mission will provide measurements of atmospheric humidity and temperature.
The AWS is a microwave sounder developed by OHB Sweden under ESA funding. AAC Omnisys (Omnisys Instruments AB) is the prime contractor for the instrument and is responsible for the development of a microwave radiometer with 19 frequency channels. The radiometer is divided into three heterodyne microwave receivers and a direct detector.
MACCON supplies AAC Omnisys with the motor for the mechanism that moves the rotating main reflector of the microwave radiometer. The scanning mechanism with oversized windings and redundant encoders ensures a constant rotational speed of around 0.8 Hz. This results in scan angles between ±60° of NADIR.
