missions

GCOM-C (Shikisai)

GCOM-C (Shikisai, Global Change Observation Mission - Climate) is a Japanese climate-observation satellite operated by JAXA, launched on 2017-12-23 by H-IIA into a sun-synchronous orbit at 798 km altitude with a 10:30 descending local time.^[1]^[2] The mission carries the Second-generation Global Imager (SGLI), a multi-channel passive imaging radiometer with visible, near-infrared, shortwave infrared, thermal infrared, and multi-angle polarisation channels spanning a 1000 km swath with an approximately 2-day global revisit.^[3]^[4] GCOM-C provides long-term global observations of ocean colour and water-leaving radiance for marine primary productivity assessments, sea surface temperature retrieval, vegetation index mapping for land and crop applications, and multi-angle polarimetric aerosol characterisation relevant to air quality monitoring.^[5]^[4] The mission is currently in an extended operational phase beyond its nominal 5-year design life.^[1]^[2]

Full specification

All fields

current status	Extended operations
operator	Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
launch vehicle	H-IIA (JAXA/MHI)
Launched	2017-12-23
orbit type	Sun-synchronous orbit, 798 km altitude, 98.6 deg inclination, 10:30 descending local time
swath km	1000
revisit days	2
tasking supported	No
archive depth years	7
current geographic priority	global climate observations across ocean, land, atmosphere, snow and ice

Supply chain position

carries instrument Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

operated by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

launched on H-IIA (JAXA/MHI)

related to Coastal water quality

related to Marine primary production

related to Crop phenology

related to Air quality

Ocean colour / water-leaving radiance → demonstrated Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

Vegetation index mapping → demonstrated Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

Sea-surface temperature retrieval → demonstrated Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

Multi-angle polarimetry → demonstrated Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

Multispectral optical imaging → demonstrated Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

Thermal infrared imaging → demonstrated Second Generation Global Imager (SGLI)

Sources

[1]GCOM-C specification and products, JAXA EORCagency doc2026-06-14
[2]WMO OSCAR satellite record: GCOM-Cagency doc2026-06-14
[3]GCOM-C instruments, JAXA EORCagency doc2026-06-14
[4]SGLI channel specification and products, JAXA EORCagency doc2026-06-14
[5]GCOM-C project topics and data release, JAXAagency doc2026-06-14

Cite https://eo-atlas.org/missions/gcom-c Markdown twin → Field definitions → Suggest a correction →

How to cite this page

Plain text

GCOM-C (Shikisai). EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V. https://eo-atlas.org/missions/gcom-c (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:missions:gcom-c,
  title = {GCOM-C (Shikisai)},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/missions/gcom-c}
}