Orbit Altitude: 402 km
Orbit Inclination: 35 degrees
Period: 92.6 minutes
Orbit Type: LEO > Low Earth Orbit > Inclined Non-Polar

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The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (or TRMM) is a NASA satellite that
provides more information both to test and to improve those models. TRMM is
particularly devoted to determining rainfall in ... the tropics and subtropics of
the earth. These regions make up about two thirds of the total rainfall on
Earth and are responsible for driving our weather and climate system. TRMM will
contribute to a better understanding of where and how much the winds blow,
where the clouds form and rain occurs, where floods and droughts will occur,
and how the winds drive the ocean currents. TRMM will do this not just by
providing rainfall data but, more importantly, by providing information on heat
released into the atmosphere as part of the process that leads to rain.

Most of the heat energy that drives the atmospheric circulation comes as the
result of evaporation of water from the ocean surface. (Only about one-fourth
of the energy comes directly from the sun.) Energy from the sun passes through
the atmosphere to the ocean surface where much of it is absorbed and causes the
liquid water there to become the gas we call water vapor. The amount of heat
required to turn the liquid water into gas is called latent heat of
evaporation. It is called latent because it is hidden away in the water vapor
molecules but can be released later on as the water vapor rises into the
atmosphere and condenses back into liquid water droplets in the clouds or falls
back to Earth as rain. In the tropics huge equatorial cloud clusters and
hurricanes involving lots of violent convective thunderstorms are the visible
evidence of latent heat release.

Launch: Launched: November 27, 1997
Launch Site: Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

Orbit: Altitude: 402 km
Inclination: 35 degrees
Period: 92.6 minutes
Non-Sun-Synchronous

Vital Statistics: Weight: 3512 kg
Power: 1100 watts
Design Life: 3 years

Instruments: CERES (Clouds and the Earth Radiant Energy System
LIS (Lightning Imaging Sensor)
TMI (TRMM Microwave Radiometer)
PR (RADAR)
VIRS (Visible/Infrared Radiometer)

Website:
http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/trmm

[Summary provided by NASA.]

http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/overview_dir/background.html
http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/trmm