The Special Sensor Microwave Imager / Sounder (SSMIS) is a 24-channel, 21-frequency, linearly polarized passive microwave radiometer system. The instrument is flown on board the United States Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F-16, F-17, F-18 and F-19 satellites, which were launched in October 2003, November 2006, October 2009, and April 2014, respectively.[1] It is the successor to the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I). The SSMIS on the F19 satellite stopped producing useful data in February 2016.[2]