[slightlycuban]

Depends on the resolution and scan area you're talking about. I think the .5km can go off every 15min. But the 2km can go out every 5.

But that's nothing. IIRC, the Mesoscale (a 1000km x 1000km box somewhere in the hemisphere) can go out every 30s. On top of that, I believe you can snap a Meso without interrupting normal operations.

Here in the US, the idea of getting a snapshot of a Tropical Wave out every 30s during, say, hurricane season is very, very exciting.