The Dual-frequency Dual-polarized Doppler Radar (D3R) was developed with funding from NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Project by the CSU RF, 5G, and Radar Labs’ graduate students, research scientists and radar engineers. NASA’s GPM mission is an international satellite mission in collaboration with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JASA). The GPM team works to monitor the globe, collecting accurate precipitation observation data every 3 hours. On February 27th, 2014, the GPM Core Observatory satellite was launched into orbit. It carried two advanced instruments: the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR). The GPM Core Observatory was designed to push the boundaries of space-based weather observations at the time.

The GPM mission’s goal is to enhance our understanding of Earth’s water and energy cycles, develop better forecasting for severe weather events that cause natural disasters, and further the abilities of satellite precipitation information to help manage and maintain the safety of society. In order to do this,