Aura (satellite)
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Operator: | NASA |
COSPAR-ID : | 2004-026A |
Mission dates | |
Dimensions: | 2967 kg |
Size: | 4.70 m × 17.37 m × 6.91 m |
Begin: | July 15, 2004, 10:02 UTC |
Starting place: | Vandenberg Air Force Base , SLC-2W |
Launcher: | Delta 2 7920-10L |
Status: | in orbit |
Orbit data | |
Rotation time : | 98.83 min |
Orbit inclination : | 98.11 ° |
Apogee height : | 710 km |
Perigee height : | 709 km |
Aura is the name of Earth observation satellites of the US space agency NASA , which on 15 July 2004 with a missile of the type Delta 2 was started. Aura is in a sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98.2 ° at an altitude of approx. 700 km. The five satellites Aura, Aqua , CloudSat , PARASOL and CALIPSO together form the A-Train .
The main objectives of the mission are to observe the ozone layer , the air quality (ground-level ozone , nitrogen dioxide , aerosols ) and climate change . The satellite began routine data collection on October 14, 2004 after a calibration phase.
The satellite has four instruments on board:
- HIRDLS ( Hi gh R esolution D ynamic L imb S ounder) measures the infrared radiation from ozone , water vapor , chlorofluorocarbons , methane and various nitrogen compounds . HIRDLS is a joint development of the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Oxford .
- MLS ( M icrowave L imb S ounder) measures the microwave radiation emitted by various trace gases .
- OMI ( O zone M onitoring I instrument) operating in the visible and ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum , and supplies high-resolution images of the global distribution of ozone, of other trace gases and aerosols . OMI was developed by the Dutch NVIR .
- TES ( T ropospheric E mission S pectrometer) measures the concentration of ground-level ozone and other trace gases by their infrared emissions.
Web links
- Homepage of Aura (English)
- Homepage of the Earth Observing System (English)
- Homepage of Earth Science Enterprise (English)
- Aura: In Envisat's footsteps
- ESA: Aura (English)