EO·Atlas
MHS
Compiled from public sources on 2026-06-11. Not independently verified by Airbus Defence and Space.
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MHS is a cross-track passive microwave humidity sounder flown on operational meteorological satellites.
MHS (Microwave Humidity Sounder) is a cross-track passive microwave radiometer designed for atmospheric humidity profiling. It operates five channels at 89 GHz, 157 GHz, 183.311+/-1 GHz, 183.311+/-3 GHz, and 190.311 GHz.[1] The second channel at 157 GHz is a window channel distinct from the 150 GHz channel carried by its predecessor AMSU-B.[1] MHS provides tropospheric water-vapour profiles and is used operationally in numerical weather prediction.[2]
MHS was built by Astrium Ltd under contract to EUMETSAT.[3] It succeeded AMSU-B starting with NOAA-18, and flew on NOAA-18, NOAA-19, MetOp-A, MetOp-B, and MetOp-C.[1][4] On MetOp platforms it operates alongside AMSU-A, providing complementary humidity profiling to AMSU-A temperature soundings.[3]
Pricing not publicly listed by operator
Compositional position
- Microwave atmospheric soundingvia MetOp-A
MHS 5-channel passive microwave humidity sounder; 157 and 183.31 GHz water-vapour absorption bands; successor to AMSU-B; flew on MetOp-A/B/C, NOAA-18/19
None on record.
- [1]WMO OSCAR - Details for Instrument MHSagency doc2026-06-11
- [2]ESA MetOp - About MHSagency doc2026-06-11
- [3]EUMETSAT - Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS)operator engineering2026-06-11
- [4]NOAA MIRS - MHS Instrumentoperator engineering2026-06-11