BackForward Satellite: Aura 

Satellite details
Acronym Aura
Full name Earth Observation System - Aura
WIGOS Station Identifier ---
Satellite Description
  • 3rd (last) flight unit of the EOS programme.
  • Main mission: atmospheric chemistry.
Mass at launch 2967 kg Dry mass
Power 4600 W
Data access link https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Aura
Data access information
  • For HIRDLS, MLS and OMI, the data are held at the Goddard Earth Science DISC.
  • For TES, the data are held at the NASA Langley Atmospheric Sciences Data Center.
  • The Aura instrument validation data are held at the Aura Validation Data Center at Goddard Space Flight Center.
Orbit Sunsynchronous orbit Altitude 705 km
ECT 13:40 asc

 

Space agency NASA
Status Operational
Details on Status
(as available)
Launch 15 Jul 2004 EOL ≥2025
Last update: 2025-06-30
Associated satellite programme and related satellites

Note: red tag: no longer operational , green tag: operational , blue tag : future

Satellite Payload

All known Instruments flying on Aura

Acronym Full name
HIRDLS High-Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder
MLS Microwave Limb Sounder
OMI Ozone Monitoring Instrument
TES-limb Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer
TES-nadir Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer
Show instrument status and calibration
Satellite frequencies for Earth Observation, data transfer and platform communications and control
Earth observation MW frequencies
Service Sensing mode Frequency (GHz) Bandwidth (MHz) Polarisation Comments
MLS passive 115.3 GHz 500 MHz - Band for temperature and pressure using 118GHz O2 line.
MLS passive 117 GHz 500 MHz - Band for temperature and pressure using 118GHz O2 line.
MLS passive 118.753 GHz 10 MHz - Band for temperature and pressure using 118GHz O2 line.
MLS passive 118.753 GHz 1250 MHz - Band for temperature and pressure using 118GHz O2 line.
MLS passive 120.5 GHz 500 MHz - Temp and Pressure sounding using 118 GHz line.
MLS passive 122 GHz 500 MHz Temp and Pressure sounding using 118 GHz O2 line
MLS passive 177.2652 GHz 158 MHz Water vapour sounding using 183.3 GHz line
MLS passive 181.5987 GHz 1150 MHz Water vapour sounding using 183.3 GHz line
MLS passive 183.3142 GHz 1150 MHz Water vapour sounding using 183.3 GHz channel
MLS passive 183.3142 GHz 1150 MHz Water vapour sounding using 183.3 GHz line
MLS passive 200.9798 GHz 1150 MHz Target N20
MLS passive 204.3566 GHz 1150 MHz Target ClO
MLS passive 206.1367 GHz 1150 MHz Target ozone
MLS passive 230.5432 GHz 1150 MHz Target CO
MLS passive 230.5432 GHz 1150 MHz Ozone and CO target
MLS passive 233.9515 GHz 1150 MHz Target OO
MLS passive 235.7151 GHz 1150 MHz Target ozone
MLS passive 235.7151 GHz 1150 MHz Target ozone
MLS passive 624.7821 GHz 158 MHz Target gas BrO
MLS passive 625.3856 GHz 1150 MHz Target ozone
MLS passive 625.9327 GHz 1150 MHz Target HCl
MLS passive 635.8844 GHz 1150 MHz Target HOCl
MLS passive 649.4659 GHz 1150 MHz Target ClO
MLS passive 649.7162 GHz 1150 MHz Target HO2
MLS passive 650.1937 GHz 1150 MHz Target BrO
MLS passive 652.8485 GHz 1150 MHz Target N2O
MLS passive 660.5006 GHz 1150 MHz Target HO2
MLS passive 2502.3804 GHz 1150 MHz Target O2
MLS passive 2510.0057 GHz 1150 MHz Target OH
MLS passive 2514.3735 GHz 1150 MHz Target OH
MLS passive 231.86 GHz 500 MHz
MLS passive 232.46 GHz 500 MHz
MLS passive 234.86 GHz 500 MHz
MLS passive 236.66 GHz 500 MHz Bands on ozone line at 239.66 GHz
MLS passive 242.66 GHz 500 MHz Bands on ozone line at 239.66 GHz
MLS passive 244.46 GHz 500 MHz Bands on ozone line at 239.66 GHz
MLS passive 246.86 GHz 500 MHz Bands on ozone line at 239.66 GHz
MLS passive 247.46 GHz 500 MHz Bands on ozone line at 239.66 GHz