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Overview
Aqua was developed by NASA to investigate the mechanism of earth environment systems, such as atmosphere, cloud, snow ice, water and vegetation. The development and operation of Aqua are conducted as an international project.
Aqua carries five sensors: Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) developed by NASDA, Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB) developed by INPE, Brazil, as well as NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
EOC will process and provide Aqua data.
Characteristic
| Launch |
May 4, 2002 / Delta-2 Rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| Orbit |
Sun-synchronous orbit at the altitude of 705 km
Inclination 98.2 degree / Period 100 minutes |
| Weight |
2,934kg |
Mission Instruments
| AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer) |
| Developed by |
NASDA |
| Property |
Views in 12 channels at six discrete frequencies in the range of 6.9 to 89 GHz |
| Measurement |
Water vapor, precipitation, cloud, sea surface temperature, sea surface wind, sea ice, radioative energy flux, etc. |
| AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) |
| Developed by |
NASA/JPL |
| Property |
Measures simultaneously in more than 2,300 spectral channels in the range of 0.4-15.4µm, and acquires various meteorological parameters. |
| Measurement |
Atmospheric temperature and humidity, land and sea surface temperatures, cloud, radioative energy flux |
| AMSU (Advanced Microwave Sounding unit) |
| Developed by |
NASA/GSFC |
| Property |
Senses in 15 discrete channels in the range of 50-90 GHz |
| Measurement |
Atmospheric temperature and humidity |
| CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) |
| Developed by |
NASA/LaRC |
| Property |
Property Two sensors, one scanning cross track, the other scanning azimuth ally. View in three channels per scanner. |
| Measurement |
Radiative energy flux |
| HUS (Humidity Sounder for Brazil) |
| Developed by |
INPE, Brazil |
| Property |
Measures in 5 discrete channels in the range of 150-183 MHz |
| Measurement |
Atmospheric humidity |
| MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) |
| Developed by |
NASA/GSFC |
| Property |
Views in 36 spectral bands from 0.4-14µm |
| Measurement |
Cloud, radioative energy flux, aerosol, land cover and land use change, vegetation dynamics, land surface temperature, sea surface temperature, ocean color, snow cover, atmospheric temperature and humidity, sea ice |
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