{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T11:18:40Z","timestamp":1774955920694,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,8]],"date-time":"2020-07-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1594166400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012166","name":"National Key Research and Development Program of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2018YFB0504900"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2018YFB0504900"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012166","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012166","name":"National Key Research and Development Program of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2018YFB0504800"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2018YFB0504800"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012166","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Climate observations and their applications require measurements with high stability and low uncertainty in order to detect and assess climate variability and trends. The difficulty with space-based observations is that it is generally not possible to trace them to standard calibration references when in orbit. In order to overcome this problem, it has been proposed to deploy space-based radiometric reference systems which intercalibrate measurements from multiple satellite platforms. Such reference systems have been strongly recommended by international expert teams. This paper describes the Chinese Space-based Radiometric Benchmark (CSRB) project which has been under development since 2014. The goal of CSRB is to launch a reference-type satellite named LIBRA in around 2025. We present the roadmap for CSRB as well as requirements and specifications for LIBRA. Key technologies of the system include miniature phase-change cells providing fixed-temperature points, a cryogenic absolute radiometer, and a spontaneous parametric down-conversion detector. LIBRA will offer measurements with SI traceability for the outgoing radiation from the Earth and the incoming radiation from the Sun with high spectral resolution. The system will be realized with four payloads, i.e., the Infrared Spectrometer (IRS), the Earth-Moon Imaging Spectrometer (EMIS), the Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), and the Solar spectral Irradiance Traceable to Quantum benchmark (SITQ). An on-orbit mode for radiometric calibration traceability and a balloon-based demonstration system for LIBRA are introduced as well in the last part of this paper. As a complementary project to the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) and the Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio- Studies (TRUTHS), LIBRA is expected to join the Earth observation satellite constellation and intends to contribute to space-based climate studies via publicly available data.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs12142179","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,8]],"date-time":"2020-07-08T11:47:46Z","timestamp":1594208866000},"page":"2179","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":36,"title":["Development of the Chinese Space-Based Radiometric Benchmark Mission LIBRA"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7115-1389","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Peng","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellite, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"},{"name":"National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"}]},{"given":"Naimeng","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellite, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"},{"name":"National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"}]},{"given":"Chuanrong","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China"}]},{"given":"Lei","family":"Ding","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200083, China"}]},{"given":"Xiaobing","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China"}]},{"given":"Xuejun","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, China"}]},{"given":"Xiuqing","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellite, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"},{"name":"National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"}]},{"given":"Xin","family":"Ye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, China"}]},{"given":"Lingling","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China"}]},{"given":"Na","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellite, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"},{"name":"National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2390-899X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lin","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellite, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"},{"name":"National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China"}]},{"given":"Johannes","family":"Schmetz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Retired former Chief Scientist of Eumetsat, Eumetsat Allee 1, D-64295 Darmstadt, Germany"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Dowell, M., Lecomte, P., Husband, R., Schulz, J., Mohr, T., Tahara, Y., Eckman, R., Lindstrom, E., Wooldridge, C., and Hilding, S. (2019, December 01). Strategy Towards an Architecture for Climate Monitoring from Space 2013. Available online: http:\/\/ceos.org\/document_management\/Working_Groups\/WGClimate\/Documents\/ARCH_strategy-climate-architecture-space.pdf."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) (2011). Systematic Observation Requirements for Satellite-Based Data Products for Climate, Supplemental Details to the Satellite-Based Component of the Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC, GCOS. Available online: https:\/\/www.wmo.int\/pages\/prog\/gcos\/Publications\/gcos-154.pdf."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"GCOS (2015). Status of the Global Observing System for Climate, GCOS. Available online: https:\/\/www.wmo.int\/pages\/prog\/gcos\/Publications\/gcos-195.pdf."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"GCOS (2016). The Global Observing System for Climate: Implementation Needs, GCOS. Available online: https:\/\/www.wmo.int\/pages\/prog\/gcos\/Publications\/gcos-200.pdf."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"(2014). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II, and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1303","DOI":"10.1175\/BAMS-86-9-1303","article-title":"Satellite instrument calibration for measuring global climate change\u2013Report of a Workshop","volume":"86","author":"Ohring","year":"2005","journal-title":"Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"347","DOI":"10.1175\/BAMS-D-11-00027.1","article-title":"Hyperspectral Earth Observation from IASI: Five Years of Accomplishments","volume":"93","author":"Hilton","year":"2012","journal-title":"Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1002\/wea.1964","article-title":"The GCOS at 20 years: The origin, achievement and future development of the Global Climate Observing System","volume":"67","author":"Houghton","year":"2012","journal-title":"Weather"},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), and Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) (2019, December 01). Space Agency Response to GCOS Implementation Plan\u2013The Joint CEOS\/CGMS Working Group on Climate (WGClimate). Available online: http:\/\/ceos.org\/document_management\/Working_Groups\/WGClimate\/Documents\/Space%20Agency%20Response%20to%20GCOS%20IP%20v2.2.1.pdf."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2253","DOI":"10.1016\/S0273-1177(03)90551-5","article-title":"Traceable radiometry underpinning terrestrial- and helio-studies (TRUTHS)","volume":"32","author":"Fox","year":"2003","journal-title":"Adv. Space Res."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1519","DOI":"10.1175\/BAMS-D-12-00149.1","article-title":"Achieving Climate Change Absolute Accuracy in Orbit","volume":"94","author":"Wielicki","year":"2013","journal-title":"Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1175\/2010BAMS2967.1","article-title":"The Global Space-based Inter-calibration System","volume":"92","author":"Goldberg","year":"2011","journal-title":"Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"World Meteorological Organization (WMO) (2020, March 01). Vision for the WMO Integrated Global Observing System in 2040. Available online: https:\/\/library.wmo.int\/doc_num.php?explnum_id=10233."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1431","DOI":"10.1175\/BAMS-D-13-00047.1","article-title":"The Concept of Essential Climate Variables in Support of Climate Research, Applications, and Policy","volume":"95","author":"Bojinski","year":"2014","journal-title":"Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.1109\/MGRS.2015.2467172","article-title":"Overview of China Earth Observation Satellite Programs","volume":"3","author":"Gu","year":"2015","journal-title":"IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Mag."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1117\/12.416994","article-title":"Optical characteristics of China Radiometric Calibration Site for Remote Sensing Satellite Sensors (CRCSRSSS)","volume":"Volume 4151","author":"Hu","year":"2001","journal-title":"Second International Asia-Pacific Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere, Environment, and Space"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1531","DOI":"10.1175\/2009BAMS2798.1","article-title":"An Overview of a New Chinese Weather Satellite FY-3A","volume":"90","author":"Dong","year":"2009","journal-title":"Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"621","DOI":"10.6028\/jres.116.009","article-title":"Best Practice Guidelines for Pre-Launch Characterization and Calibration of Instruments for Passive Optical Remote Sensing1","volume":"116","author":"Datla","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Res. Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1080\/17538947.2012.658666","article-title":"Improvements on global meteorological observations from the current Fengyun 3 satellites and beyond","volume":"5","author":"Yang","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Digit. Earth"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1027","DOI":"10.1007\/s00376-019-8215-x","article-title":"Latest Progress of the Chinese Meteorological Satellite Program and Core Data Processing Technologies","volume":"36","author":"Zhang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Atmos. Sci."},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"672","article-title":"Introduction of the radiometric benchmark satellite being developed in China for remote sensing","volume":"24","author":"Lu","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1807","DOI":"10.3788\/OPE.20152307.1807","article-title":"Standard transfer chain for radiometric calibration of optical sensing instruments with traceability in solar reflective bands","volume":"23","author":"Wang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Opt. Precis. Eng."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"994","DOI":"10.1049\/iet-smt.2018.5127","article-title":"Design and investigation of absolute radiance calibration primary radiometer","volume":"12","author":"Xin","year":"2018","journal-title":"IET Sci. Meas. Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.1049\/iet-smt.2015.0267","article-title":"Correction of cavity absorptance measure method for cryogenic radiometer","volume":"10","author":"Yi","year":"2016","journal-title":"IET Sci. Meas. Technol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2733","DOI":"10.3788\/OPE.20152310.2733","article-title":"Absorptance measurement for sloping bottom cavity of cryogenic radiometer","volume":"23","author":"YI","year":"2015","journal-title":"Opt. Precis. Eng."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1646","DOI":"10.1103\/PhysRev.124.1646","article-title":"Quantum Fluctuations and Noise in Parametric Processes","volume":"124","author":"Louisell","year":"1961","journal-title":"Phys. Rev."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1038\/s41567-019-0447-2","article-title":"A primary radiation standard based on quantum nonlinear optics","volume":"15","author":"Lemieux","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nat. Phys."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1007\/s10765-017-2223-9","article-title":"Miniature Fixed Points as Temperature Standards for In Situ Calibration of Temperature Sensors","volume":"38","author":"Hao","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Thermophys."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1056","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2012.2228654","article-title":"Overview of Intercalibration of Satellite Instruments","volume":"51","author":"Chander","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1175\/JTECH1713.1","article-title":"Intersatellite Radiance Biases for the High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounders (HIRS) on board NOAA-15, -16, and -17 from Simultaneous Nadir Observations","volume":"22","author":"Cao","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3965","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2019.2959830","article-title":"FY-3D HIRAS Radiometric Calibration and Accuracy Assessment","volume":"58","author":"Wu","year":"2020","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"746","DOI":"10.1175\/2008JTECHA1155.1","article-title":"Intercalibration of Broadband Geostationary Imagers Using AIRS","volume":"26","author":"Gunshor","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5008","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2013.2275871","article-title":"Long-Term Monitoring and Correction of FY-2 Infrared Channel Calibration Using AIRS and IASI","volume":"51","author":"Hu","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1175\/2007JTECHA1021.1","article-title":"Assessment of the Visible Channel Calibrations of the VIRS on TRMM and MODIS on Aqua and Terra","volume":"25","author":"Minnis","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1175\/1520-0426(2004)021<0537:PSNOAP>2.0.CO;2","article-title":"Predicting Simultaneous Nadir Overpasses among Polar-Orbiting Meteorological Satellites for the Intersatellite Calibration of Radiometers","volume":"21","author":"Cao","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"AAC-11","DOI":"10.1029\/2001JD002035","article-title":"Using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) to calibrate advanced very high resolution radiometer reflectance channels","volume":"107","author":"Heidinger","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Space Phys."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1233","DOI":"10.1175\/1520-0426(2002)019<1233:RCOOAR>2.0.CO;2","article-title":"Rapid Calibration of Operational and Research Meteorological Satellite Imagers. Part I: Evaluation of Research Satellite Visible Channels as References","volume":"19","author":"Minnis","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"851","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2008.2005634","article-title":"Monitoring of Radiometric Sensitivity Changes of Space Sensors Using Deep Convective Clouds: Operational Application to PARASOL","volume":"47","author":"Fougnie","year":"2008","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6958","DOI":"10.3390\/rs5126958","article-title":"The Application of Deep Convective Clouds in the Calibration and Response Monitoring of the Reflective Solar Bands of FY-3A\/MERSI (Medium Resolution Spectral Imager)","volume":"5","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"925","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2009.12.003","article-title":"Monitoring on-orbit calibration stability of the Terra MODIS and Landsat 7 ETM+ sensors using pseudo-invariant test sites","volume":"114","author":"Chander","year":"2010","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1255","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2012.2237520","article-title":"Evaluation of ISCCP multi-satellite radiance calibration for geostationary imager visible channels using the moon","volume":"51","author":"Stone","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"925","DOI":"10.1007\/s13351-019-9008-y","article-title":"Radiometric Cross-Calibration for Multiple Sensors with the Moon as an Intermediate Reference","volume":"33","author":"Zhang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Meteorol. Res."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2887","DOI":"10.1086\/430185","article-title":"The Spectral Irradiance of the Moon","volume":"129","author":"Kieffer","year":"2005","journal-title":"Astron. J."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1007\/s10669-013-9451-8","article-title":"Value of information for climate observing systems","volume":"34","author":"Cooke","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Syst. Decis."}],"container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/12\/14\/2179\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T09:48:54Z","timestamp":1760176134000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/12\/14\/2179"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,8]]},"references-count":44,"journal-issue":{"issue":"14","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,7]]}},"alternative-id":["rs12142179"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/rs12142179","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-4292"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-4292","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,7,8]]}}}