Aura (EOS CH-1)
|Mission type||Earth Observation|
|Launch mass||2,970 kilograms (6,550 lb)|
|Dimensions||4.70 m x 17.37 m x 6.91 m|
|Start of mission|
|Launch date||July 15, 2004, 10:01:51UTC|
|Rocket||Delta II 7920-10L|
|Launch site||Vandenberg SLC-2W|
|Semi-major axis||7,080.7 kilometers (4,399.7 mi)|
|Perigee||708 kilometers (440 mi)|
|Apogee||710 kilometers (440 mi)|
|Argument of perigee||89.5089 degrees|
|Mean anomaly||270.6277 degrees|
|Epoch||25 January 2015, 03:15:27 UTC|
Aura (EOS CH-1) is a multi-national NASA scientific research satellite in orbit around the Earth, studying the Earth's ozone layer, air quality and climate. It is the third major component of the Earth Observing System (EOS) following on Terra (launched 1999) and Aqua (launched 2002). Aura follows on from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).
All satellites have an equatorial crossing time at about 1:30 in the afternoon, thus the name 'A (Afternoon) Train'.
Aura carries four instruments for studies of atmospheric chemistry:
- HIRDLS — High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder — measures infrared radiation from ozone, water vapor, CFCs, methane and nitrogen compounds. Developed jointly with the United Kingdom Natural Environment Research Council. The HIRDLS chopper shutdown on March 17, 2008, and has not produced science since.
- MLS — Microwave Limb Sounder — measures emissions from ozone, chlorine and other trace gases, and clarifies the role of water vapor in global warming.
- OMI — Ozone Monitoring Instrument — uses ultraviolet and visible radiation to produce daily high-resolution maps. Developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes.
- TES — Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer — measures tropospheric ozone in infrared wavelengths, also carbon monoxide, methane and nitrogen oxides.
- "AURA Satellite details 2004-026A NORAD 28376". N2YO. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.