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Aura
Status:
Current, Extended Mission
Mission Category:
Earth Observing System (EOS), A-Train
Launch Date: July 15, 2004
Launch Location: Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA
Designed Life: July 15, 2010
Aura's four instruments study the atmosphere's chemistry and dynamics. Aura's measurements enable us to investigate questions about ozone trends, air-quality changes and their linkage to climate change. Aura's measurements also provide accurate data for predictive models and useful information for local and national agency decision-support systems.
Key Aura Facts
| Mission/Portal Page: | http://science.nasa.gov/missions/aura/ |
|---|---|
| Reference Handbook: | |
| Launch Vehicle: | Delta II 7920 rocket |
| Altitude:Distance from sea level. | 705km |
| Inclination: | 98.2° |
| Local Node:Approximate time, at the equator when vehicle is directly overhead. | 1:45 p.m. |
| Origination: | Joint with Netherlands, Finland, and the U.K. |
| Instruments: |
HIRDLS (High-Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder) MLS (Microwave Limb Sounder) OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) TES (Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer) |
| Project Scientist(s): |
Anne Douglas |
| Deputy Project Scientist(s): |
Bryan Duncan Joanna Joiner |
Related Publications:
- A-Train Fact Sheet (Fact Sheets - 263.74 KB)
- Aura (Mission Brochures - 10.02 MB)
- Aura (Science Writers' Guide - 6.85 MB)
- Our Changing Atmosphere: Discoveries from EOS Aura (Mission Brochures - 30.32 MB)
Relevant Science Focus Areas:
- Atmospheric Composition
- Climate Variability and Change
- Weather
Relevant Science Questions:
- How is the global Earth system changing?
- How will the Earth system change in the future?
Science Goals:
- The Aura mission seeks to answer three main science questions: Is the stratospheric ozone layer recovering? What are the processes controlling air quality? How is Earth's climate changing?
Related Applications:
- Agricultural Efficiency
- Air Quality
- Public Health