Japanese, geostationary satellite GMS-4 was launched in 1989 with an altitude of 36,000 km and 140 degrees of eastern longitude on the equator. Quarter surface of the earth cloud be observed.

The VISSR(Visible and Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer) sensor (being abroad on GMS-4) contains one visible channel(0.5 um ~ 0.75 um) with 1.25 km spatial resolution and the other Infrared channel (10.5 um ~ 12.5 um) with 5 km spatial resolution. The scenes observed by VISSR can be used to describe the cloud distirbution, estimate the wind field and observe the tendency of cyclone development.

It also supplies digital data from VISSR to estimate SST(Sea Surface Temperature), Cloud amount and cloud height ... etc. On the other hand, DCS (data collection Sustem) collects the data from observatiories and transfer to surface control unit.

In June 1995, GMS-4 was replaced by GMS-5. The VISSR sensor was added one water vapor channel(6.5 - 7.0m) and the orginal Infrared channel was split into two channels(10.5 um ~ 11.5 um and 11.5 um ~ 12.5 um). So far, the geosationary satellite GMS-5 provides 4 channels data.