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Mission:
Aura
Launch Date:
July 15, 2004
Launch
Time: 6:01:59
a.m. EDT
Launch
Vehicle:
Delta II 7920-10L
Launch
Pad: SLC-2
Launch Location:
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Aura is part of the Earth Observing System (EOS), a
program dedicated to monitoring the complex interactions
that affect the globe using NASA satellites and data systems.
The spacecraft is specifically designed to answer three basic
questions about our atmosphere.
Is the Earth's ozone layer recovering?
Earth's stratosphere contains the ozone layer, a barrier
that protects life from the harmful effects of ultraviolet
radiation from the Sun. One of Aura's main goals is to monitor
levels of ozone and the pollutants that contribute to depleting
it.
Is air quality getting worse?
The lower level of our atmosphere, known as the troposphere,
is also affected by human activity. Aura will make the first
space-based observations of the troposphere to discover global
patterns and trends that shape its health.
How is the Earth's climate changing?
Water vapor and ozone in the upper layers of our atmosphere
are important factors in maintaining global temperature.
Aura will study the levels and distribution of these key
gases to better understand how they regulate climate.
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