Andrew Yee[_1_]
June 9th 08, 06:12 PM
European Space Agency
Press Release No. 28-2008
Paris, France 27 May 2008
EarthCARE satellite contract signed
The European Space Agency and Astrium GmbH have today signed a contract
worth Euro 263 million [USD 411 million] to provide the EarthCARE satellite,
the sixth Earth Explorer mission of ESA's Living Planet Programme. As prime
contractor, Astrium GmbH is responsible for the satellite's design,
development and integration.
The contract was signed today in Berlin on the occasion of the International
Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) by Volker Liebig, ESA's Director of Earth
Observation, Evert Dudok, CEO of Astrium Satellites and Uwe Minne, Director
of Earth Observation and Science at Astrium GmbH (Friedrichshafen), in the
presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ESA Director General
Jean-Jacques Dordain and Head of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
Johann-Dietrich Worner.
Underlining the value of this mission for a better understanding of the
Earth system and climate change issues, Volker Liebig stated that "the role
of aerosols in cloud formation and the interaction with radiation is not
completely understood by science but plays an important role in climate and
weather modelling. This is why the EarthCARE proposal was selected."
EarthCARE, ESA's Cloud and Aerosol mission developed in co-operation with
JAXA, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, will address the need for a
better understanding of the interactions between cloud, radiative and
aerosol processes that play a role in climate regulation.
The EarthCARE mission aims to improve the representation and understanding
of the Earth's radiative balance in climate and numerical weather forecast
models by acquiring vertical profiles of clouds and aerosols, as well as the
radiances at the top of the atmosphere. Aerosols control cloud properties,
while clouds control the production of precipitation and convection
influences stratospheric humidity. The observations of EarthCARE will
therefore lead to more reliable climate predictions and better weather
forecasts through the improved representation of processes involving clouds,
aerosol and radiation.
The satellite will weigh about 1.7 tonnes and will be placed in a
quasi-polar orbit of 97 deg inclination at an altitude of about 400
kilometres. Its launch is scheduled for 2013. The four instruments of the
payload consist of an Atmospheric Lidar, a Broad-Band Radiometer and a
Multi-Spectral Imager developed by ESA, and a Cloud Profiling Radar
developed by JAXA This instrument suite has been optimised to provide
co-located samples of the state of the atmosphere along the satellite flight
track.
Following the successful implementation of the ERS satellites and Envisat,
which address Earth science issues of a global nature, Earth Explorers are
focused research missions dedicated to specific aspects of our planet's
environment carrying onboard leading-edge technologies. They focus on the
atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and the Earth's interior,
with the overall emphasis on learning more about the interactions between
these components and the impact that human activity is having on natural
processes.
For further information:
Alain Lefebvre
EarthCARE Project Manager
ESA/ESTEC
Tel.: + 31 71 565 3588
Fax: +31 71 565 4719
E-mail:
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release area available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMMBQ1YUFF_index_1.html ]
Press Release No. 28-2008
Paris, France 27 May 2008
EarthCARE satellite contract signed
The European Space Agency and Astrium GmbH have today signed a contract
worth Euro 263 million [USD 411 million] to provide the EarthCARE satellite,
the sixth Earth Explorer mission of ESA's Living Planet Programme. As prime
contractor, Astrium GmbH is responsible for the satellite's design,
development and integration.
The contract was signed today in Berlin on the occasion of the International
Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) by Volker Liebig, ESA's Director of Earth
Observation, Evert Dudok, CEO of Astrium Satellites and Uwe Minne, Director
of Earth Observation and Science at Astrium GmbH (Friedrichshafen), in the
presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ESA Director General
Jean-Jacques Dordain and Head of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
Johann-Dietrich Worner.
Underlining the value of this mission for a better understanding of the
Earth system and climate change issues, Volker Liebig stated that "the role
of aerosols in cloud formation and the interaction with radiation is not
completely understood by science but plays an important role in climate and
weather modelling. This is why the EarthCARE proposal was selected."
EarthCARE, ESA's Cloud and Aerosol mission developed in co-operation with
JAXA, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, will address the need for a
better understanding of the interactions between cloud, radiative and
aerosol processes that play a role in climate regulation.
The EarthCARE mission aims to improve the representation and understanding
of the Earth's radiative balance in climate and numerical weather forecast
models by acquiring vertical profiles of clouds and aerosols, as well as the
radiances at the top of the atmosphere. Aerosols control cloud properties,
while clouds control the production of precipitation and convection
influences stratospheric humidity. The observations of EarthCARE will
therefore lead to more reliable climate predictions and better weather
forecasts through the improved representation of processes involving clouds,
aerosol and radiation.
The satellite will weigh about 1.7 tonnes and will be placed in a
quasi-polar orbit of 97 deg inclination at an altitude of about 400
kilometres. Its launch is scheduled for 2013. The four instruments of the
payload consist of an Atmospheric Lidar, a Broad-Band Radiometer and a
Multi-Spectral Imager developed by ESA, and a Cloud Profiling Radar
developed by JAXA This instrument suite has been optimised to provide
co-located samples of the state of the atmosphere along the satellite flight
track.
Following the successful implementation of the ERS satellites and Envisat,
which address Earth science issues of a global nature, Earth Explorers are
focused research missions dedicated to specific aspects of our planet's
environment carrying onboard leading-edge technologies. They focus on the
atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and the Earth's interior,
with the overall emphasis on learning more about the interactions between
these components and the impact that human activity is having on natural
processes.
For further information:
Alain Lefebvre
EarthCARE Project Manager
ESA/ESTEC
Tel.: + 31 71 565 3588
Fax: +31 71 565 4719
E-mail:
[NOTE: Images and weblinks supporting this release area available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMMBQ1YUFF_index_1.html ]