Terra ( EOS AM-1 ) is a multi-national scientific research satellite operated by NASA in a Sun-synchronous orbit around the Earth . It takes simultaneous measurements of Earth's atmosphere, land, and water to understand how Earth is changing and to identify the consequences for life on Earth. It is the flagship of the Earth Observing System (EOS) and the first satellite of the system which was followed by Aqua (launched in 2002) and Aura (launched in 2004). Terra was launched in 1999.
9-571: The multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer ( MISR ) is a scientific instrument on the Terra satellite launched by NASA on 18 December 1999. This device is designed to measure the intensity of solar radiation reflected by the Earth system ( planetary surface and atmosphere ) in various directions and spectral bands ; it became operational in February 2000. Data generated by this sensor have been proven useful in
18-439: A 10:30am descending node. Terra carries a payload of five remote sensors designed to monitor the state of Earth's environment and ongoing changes in its climate system: Data from the satellite helps scientists better understand the spread of pollution around the globe. Studies have used instruments on Terra to examine trends in global carbon monoxide and aerosol pollution. The data collected by Terra will ultimately become
27-578: A new, 15-year global data set. After launch, operators observed that high energy protons like those found over the South Atlantic Anomaly or the poles could induce single-event upsets that would cause the Motor Drive Assembly (MDA) Built-In Test Equipment (BITE) to turn off the MDA. These false shut-downs occur 12–14 times a month and eventually the operations team automated the recovery to reduce
36-416: A variety of applications including atmospheric sciences , climatology and monitoring terrestrial processes. The MISR instrument consists of an innovative configuration of nine separate digital cameras that gather data in four different spectral bands of the solar spectrum . One camera points toward the nadir , while the others provide forward and aftward view angles at 26.1°, 45.6°, 60.0°, and 70.5°. As
45-451: The characterization of land surface properties, including the structure of vegetation canopies , the distribution of land cover types, or the properties of snow and ice fields , amongst many other biogeophysical variables. Terra (satellite) The name "Terra" comes from the Latin word for Earth. A naming contest was held by NASA among U.S. high school students. The winning essay
54-532: The impact of these shut-downs. Starting in 2007, increased thermal resistance in the SWIR cryocooler of the ASTER instrument caused the temperature to gradually increase. By 2008, despite frequent attempts to recycle the cryocooler the data began to significantly degrade and on January 12, 2009, ASTER managers declared the SWIR no longer functional due to anomalously high SWIR detector temperatures. Data gathered after April 2008
63-631: The instrument flies overhead, each region of the Earth's surface is successively imaged by all nine cameras in each of four wavelengths (blue, green, red, and near-infrared ). The data gathered by MISR are useful in climatological studies concerning the disposition of the solar radiation flux in the Earth's system. MISR is specifically designed to monitor the monthly, seasonal, and long-term trends of atmospheric aerosol particle concentrations including those formed by natural sources and by human activities, upper air winds and cloud cover, type, height, as well as
72-610: Was declared not usable. On October 13, 2009, Terra suffered a single battery cell failure anomaly and a battery heater control anomaly likely the result of a Micrometeoroid or Orbital Debris (MMOD) strike. On February 27, 2020, the Terra flight operations team conducted Terra's last inclination adjust maneuver due to the satellite's limited remaining fuel. With no more such maneuvers, Terra's mean local time has begun to drift starting in April 2021 and with it, its data quality. In October 2022, Terra
81-420: Was submitted by Sasha Jones of Brentwood, Missouri . The identifier "AM-1" refers to its orbit, passing over the equator in the morning. The satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on December 18th, 1999, aboard an Atlas IIAS vehicle and began collecting data on February 24th, 2000. It was placed into a near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 705 km (438 mi), with
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