Nephanalysis, Tiros Meteorological Satellite

In April of 1960, Weather Bureau personnel at Army Signal Corp's Fort Monmouth prepared this nephanalysis (cloud map) from data returned by the TIROS I (Television Infrared Observation Satellite), the first weather satellite. It was the first satellite-based nephanalysis distributed to the meteorological community and signaled the beginning of space-based weather observation.

TIROS I was the world's first weather satellite, allowing forecasters and scientists to see directly large-scale features of the Earth's weather systems. By the mid-1960s, the TIROS program launched a series of satellites to provide routine, daily weather observations. The program is still in operation today and, in conjunction with other weather satellites, has made space-based weather observations a commonplace of contemporary life.

This artifact is autographed by the Weather Bureau personnel who prepared it. J. Gordon Vaeth donated it to the Museum in 1965.