The EarthCARE satellite, launched from California, is set to orbit approximately 400 kilometers above Earth for the next three years with a mission to investigate the role of clouds in the fight against climate change.
On May 28, the Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX carrying the EarthCARE satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 3:20 PM local time (5:20 AM on May 29 in Vietnam).
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on a mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on February 15, 2024. (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)
The EarthCARE satellite is a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aimed at understanding the role of clouds in combating climate change.
ESA confirmed the successful launch on its agency’s website.
Weighing two tons, EarthCARE is expected to orbit about 400 kilometers above Earth for the next three years.
ESA Director Josef Aschbacher emphasized that the launch of this satellite demonstrates that space exploration is not only about exploring distant galaxies and planets but also about understanding our own Earth.
According to Dominique Gillieron, head of ESA’s Earth observation project, clouds are a complex and diverse phenomenon.
He explained that the composition and altitude of clouds in Earth’s atmosphere impact their effects on climate.
Low-level cumulus clouds act like an umbrella, reflecting solar radiation and cooling the atmosphere.
Higher up, cirrus clouds formed from ice crystals allow sunlight to penetrate and warm the Earth, subsequently trapping heat like a blanket.
Simonetta Cheli, head of ESA’s Earth observation programs, stated that EarthCARE will be the first satellite to measure cloud distribution.
Specifically, two instruments on the satellite will shine light on the clouds to probe their depth, with one device related to Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) using laser pulses to measure both clouds and aerosols (tiny particles such as dust, pollen, or human-made pollutants like smoke or ash).
Additionally, the satellite’s radar will penetrate clouds to measure the amount of water contained within them and track cloud movement. Other instruments will measure the shape and temperature of these clouds.
The aforementioned data will create the first complete picture of clouds from the satellite’s perspective, aiding in the improvement of climate models to make better predictions about global warming trends, especially as climate change has altered cloud distribution.
