Aura

Welcome, space cadets! You're about to witness the launch of the Aura spacecraft, a mission to measure gaseous substances in the atmosphere — such as aerosols, ozone, and many more vital gases. From determining the quality of air we breathe to the warming of the entire planet, the chemistry of our atmosphere serves as an important function to every aspect of life on Earth. The four diverse instruments aboard Aura (HIRDLS, MLS, OMI, and TES) assess suspended gasses by their distinctive spectral signatures through different wavelength emissions. Like a puzzle, this allows the spacecraft to piece together these measurements to create an illustration of the chemical atmosphere.