Techology Maturation Program: Scope

Evolution of the TIROS weather satellite series from 1960 to 1986. (Image credit: NOAA)

Aligning emerging technology with NOAA’s needs is the first step in the technology maturation process. Two things are needed for an emerging technology to be a good candidate for NOAA TMP support. First, the technology must have a clear relevance to a possible NOAA observing system. Second, the technology must lack the funding resources to be matured in a timely fashion as needed by NOAA.

Satellites and instruments used for collecting environmental information at NOAA are often large and expensive. TMP addresses this issue by seeking capabilities to produce smaller, more efficient satellites and instruments. TMP aims to demonstrate that these miniaturized systems can accomplish a vital task: collecting our nation’s weather data. To accomplish this goal, TMP is exploring how smaller and simpler technology can contribute to NOAA’s mission, and optimize existing systems and future projects that have already been approved.

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