# DMSP-F18
*missions*

## Specifications
- **operator**: us-space-force
- **actual launch**: 2009-10-18
- **current status**: extended
- **orbit type**: Sun-synchronous near-polar orbit, approximately 830-850 km altitude, 04:30 descending equator crossing
- **swath km**: 3000
- **revisit days**: 0.58
- **tasking supported**: false
- **current geographic priority**: global weather, oceanographic, Earth-surface, and space-weather monitoring for DoD and civil users
- **launch vehicle**: ula-atlas-v
- **entity type**: mission
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-14
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: agency-sourced
- **provider**: us-space-force
- **attributes**: {"operator":"us-space-force","actual_launch":"2009-10-18","current_status":"extended","orbit_type":"Sun-synchronous near-polar orbit, approximately 830-850 km altitude, 04:30 descending equator crossing","swath_km":3000,"revisit_days":0.58,"tasking_supported":false,"current_geographic_priority":"global weather, oceanographic, Earth-surface, and space-weather monitoring for DoD and civil users","launch_vehicle":"ula-atlas-v"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
DMSP-F18 (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program F-18) is a Block 5D-3 satellite operated by the U.S. Space Force with NOAA as data and operations partner, launched on 2009-10-18.[^ussf-dmsp-factsheet][^noaa-ncei-dmsp] It flies a sun-synchronous near-polar orbit at approximately 830-850 km altitude with a 04:30 descending equator crossing.[^noaa-ncei-dmsp][^wmo-oscar-dmsp-f18] The satellite carries seven instruments: the Operational Linescan System (OLS) for visible and infrared cloud imaging; the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) for passive microwave atmospheric sounding and surface parameter retrieval; the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) and Ultraviolet Limb Imager (SSULI) for ionospheric ultraviolet imaging; the Special Sensor Ion-Electron Scintillation Sensor (SSI/ES-3) for ionospheric plasma measurement; the Special Sensor Magnetometer (SSM) Boom for space-weather magnetometry; and the Special Sensor for Precipitating Particles (SSJ/5) for particle spectrometry.[^wmo-oscar-dmsp-f18] WMO OSCAR recorded F18 as operational with a September 2026 EOL; the SSMIS instrument is degraded, while several other payloads remain active.[^wmo-oscar-dmsp-f18] DMSP-F18 supports global weather forecasting, oceanographic observation, and space-weather monitoring for Department of Defense and civil users.[^ussf-dmsp-factsheet][^noaa-ncei-dmsp]

## Compositional position
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ssmis (products)
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ols (products)
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ssusi (products)
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ssuli (products)
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ssies-3 (products)
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ssm-boom (products)
- DMSP-F18 --[mission_payloads]--> ssj-5 (products)

## Sources
- [wmo-oscar-dmsp-f18] | WMO OSCAR satellite record: DMSP-F18 | https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/dmsp_f18 | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-14
- [noaa-ncei-dmsp] | Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, NOAA NCEI | https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/satellite/defense-meteorological-satellite-program | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-14
- [ussf-dmsp-factsheet] | Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, U.S. Space Force fact sheet | https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/2197779/defense-meteorological-satellite-program/ | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-14

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/missions/dmsp-f18
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)