ITT Sensors Aboard First European Polar-orbiting Weather Satellite
*MetOp-A scheduled for October 19 Launch
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., October 19, 2006 – ITT Corporation (NYSE: ITT) today announced two sensors manufactured by ITT are aboard the first of three European MetOp weather satellites launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on October 19.
The MetOp series represents Europe’s first polar-orbiting weather satellites. The satellites are operated in partnership with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) polar weather satellite system to provide data used to monitor the Earth’s climate and improve weather forecasting.
“ITT has manufactured every primary imager and sounder flying on geostationary weather satellite constellations, and every primary high resolution radiometer and IR sounder on polar-orbiting weather constellations” said Frank Koester, Vice-President and Director, Commercial and Space Science Systems. “This latest launch continues ITT’s long heritage of operational and instrument experience in providing high performance meteorological remote sensing solutions to the international community.”
The three flight models of the MetOp spacecrafts are scheduled to be launched sequentially in order to provide continuous data through 2020.
ITT manufactured the Advanced Very High-resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS/4) that have been integrated onto the spacecraft.
The AVHRR collects day and night images of land, water and clouds, and measures sea surface temperature, ice, snow and vegetation cover.
The HIRS/4, an atmospheric sounding instrument, measures temperature profiles, moisture content, cloud height and surface albedo.
About ITT
ITT Corporation supplies advanced technology products and services in several growth key markets. ITT is a global leader in the transport, treatment including: fluid and control of water, wastewater and other fluids. The company plays a vital role in international security through its management including water treatment; defense communications and, opto-electronics, information technology and services; electronic interconnects and switches; and other specialty products; space surveillance and intelligence systems; and advanced engineering and related services. It also serves the growing leisure marine and electronic components market with a wide range of products. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, the company generated $7.4 billion in 2005 sales. In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, ITT Corporation stock is traded on the NYSE ArcaMidwest, Pacific, Paris, London, and Frankfurt exchanges.
