Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite image

A Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite image of Hurricane Rita churning in the Gulf of Mexico Sep. 23, 2005. The DMSP F-15 satellite provides multispectral images that use both infrared and visual satellite imagery to produce a color composite that reveals cloud depths and layers. Image courtesy of the Air Force Weather Agency.

Rita recovery tracked by DMSP imagery

LOS ANGELES AFB, Calif. – These images show Defense Meteorological Satellite Program nighttime imagery of the Gulf Coast Region Sept. 23 compared to a satellite pass over the area Sept. 27 – before and after Hurricane Rita’s impact on the area’s power grid. Low-light imagery from Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites help agencies assess damage and track repair progress by comparing “lights at night” images taken before and after a disaster. This imagery provides data on human activity as indicated by city and industrial lights. (Images courtesy of Air Force Weather Agency)