ADM-Aeolus
Wind-measuring satellite / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Aeolus, or, in full, Atmospheric Dynamics Mission-Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus), was an Earth observation satellite operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). It was built by Airbus Defence and Space, launched on 22 August 2018,[1] and operated until it was deorbited and re-entered the atmosphere over Antarctica on 28 July 2023.[3] ADM-Aeolus was the first satellite with equipment capable of performing global wind-component-profile observation and provided much-needed information to improve weather forecasting.[4] Aeolus was the first satellite capable of observing what the winds are doing on Earth, from the surface of the planet and into the stratosphere 30 km high.
Names | Atmospheric Dynamics Mission-Aeolus |
---|---|
Mission type | Weather satellite |
Operator | ESA / ESOC |
COSPAR ID | 2018-066A |
SATCAT no. | 43600 |
Mission duration | 5 years (achieved) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | Airbus Defence and Space |
Launch mass | 1,366 kg (3,012 lb) |
Dry mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) |
Dimensions | 1.74 × 1.9 × 2 m (5 ft 9 in × 6 ft 3 in × 6 ft 7 in) |
Power | 2300 watts |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 22 August 2018, 21:20 UTC[1] |
Rocket | Vega |
Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELV |
Contractor | Arianespace |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Deorbited |
Last contact | July 1, 2023 |
Decay date | July 28, 2023 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
Altitude | 320 km (200 mi)[2] |
Inclination | 97.0° |
Transponders | |
Band | S-band (TT&C support) X-band (science data acquisition) |
Bandwidth | 8 kbit/s download (S-band) 10 Mbit/s download (X-band) 2 kbit/s upload (S-band) |
Instruments | |
Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument (ALADIN) | |
The satellite was named after Aeolus, a god from the Greek mythology, the ruler of the winds.